Make a New Year’s promise you can keep this year: Resolve to be ready

“In 2017, I’m going to stop crying during sappy commercials, love myself like Kanye loves himself and catch up on all the resolutions I didn’t do last year.” Do resolutions like these sound familiar to you?

How about this year you just pick one resolution, and make it one that you can keep: Resolve to be ready. It’s easy to be prepared for disasters and you’ll feel really good about having done it.
So without further fanfare, repeat after us:

• “I will put together a preparedness kit.” Download a checklist and head to the store. Be sure and pick up nonperishable food and water, a radio, flashlights, batteries and a first-aid kit
  
• “I will make a plan.” Know what to do in different emergency scenarios. Choose a person to contact outside of your local area to communicate through and make sure your whole family has their phone number and email. Practice your evacuation and crisis plans, and don’t forget to make a plan for your pet!
  
• “I will be informed.” Learn what emergencies are most likely to happen where you live and be prepared for them. For example, if you live near a fault line, learn what to do in an earthquake. And no matter where you live, learn basic first-aid and CPR. If something happens, you may be able to save the life of someone you care about.
  
• “I will install an emergency app on my phone.” Download an emergency app or two. The American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Weather.gov and many local jurisdictions all offer free preparedness and alert resources that you can download with just a few clicks.  

Remember, a lot of familiar things will happen this year: Jennifer Aniston will probably continue not to age and your mom will probably not get the point of Snapchat. But this year, one thing will be new: You are going to be more prepared for disasters!

Learn more about how to prepare with our many free Get Ready fact sheets.

Resolve to be ready in 2014!

FEMA/Jana Baldwin

Many of us like to start the New Year with a few resolutions in mind. During this time of self-reflection, APHA’s Get Ready campaign encourages you to resolve to be ready in 2014!

  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready campaign reminds us about the importance of family connections prior to and during a disaster. It’s critical for parents to include their children in conversations about getting ready for emergencies. FEMA’s campaign reinforces that resolving to be ready in 2014 can be really simple — just think about three things when making your plan: who to call, where to meet and what to pack.

  

Social media is a great way to spread the word about preparedness. Here are some tips, courtesy of FEMA:

• Join FEMA’s Thunderclap and share a New Year's resolution about preparedness. When you sign up, Thunderclap will sync your social media accounts and release an automatic Facebook post, tweet or both on Jan. 1 at 12:30 p.m. EST reminding your friends and followers to make a family emergency plan.
• Use #Prepared2014 in your social media posts throughout 2014 to remind friends and followers to be prepared for emergencies all year long.
• Update your Facebook profile and cover pictures with Resolve to be Ready graphics.
• Follow the Ready campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out APHA’s Get Ready campaign’s recent podcast on family communication for tips on creating a reliable plan.
 
And don’t forget that if you need more preparedness info, APHA’s Get Ready campaign has great, free fact sheets.
  
Have a safe, happy and healthy New Year!

Resolve to be Ready in 2013

Are you fully prepared for a disaster? There is always something more to do to make sure that you and your loved ones are ready in case an emergency happens. That’s why we’re suggesting a New Year’s resolution: Resolve to be ready in 2013!

The “resolve to be ready” reminder comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready campaign, and this year the agency is focusing on getting people to include technology in their preparedness plans. For example, almost 55 percent of Americans now own smartphones, so FEMA wants to help people “turn the technology in their purses and pockets into a life-saving tool during and after an emergency or disaster.”

Among FEMA’s technology preparedness tips:

• Store important documents such as personal and financial records online or on a flash or jump drive.
• Buy batteries and car-charger adapters for wireless devices and make sure to keep batteries charged.
• During a disaster, send text messages rather than voice calls, as text messages may be more likely to get through when networks are busy.
• If you need life-saving aid, call 9-1-1. Don’t text or tweet to 9-1-1.

Get Ready can help you learn how to use technology to be prepared in the New Year, too. Check out our recent podcast about learning to be tech-ready.

Here’s to a healthy, happy and safe New Year!

What are your preparedness resolutions this year? Tell us in the comments!