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Floods, nasty storms, high winds, fires, ice storms, power outages ... nature can be rough on us here in West Virginia. But those are just some of the emergencies and disasters for which state agencies hope residents will come up with an action plan, as part of National Preparedness Month.
This year's theme is "Start a conversation," and the West Virginia Departments of Health, Health Facilities and Human Services are hoping we'll do just that.
If it feels a little awkward or pessimistic, that's OK. Start the discussion little by little, anyway.
"Engaging in these conversations can help families make informed decisions and take necessary actions to prepare for emergencies," said DH Secretary Sherri Young, D.O.
Set aside time in a calm, relaxed environment to discuss emergency plans with family and others who may need to be included.
Spread out the conversation over several sessions to avoid getting overwhelmed or coming to rushed decisions. Share preparedness steps with others. And then put those discussions into action -- walk through the plan you've discussed. Be ready.
"Effective preparedness starts with dialogue. By initiating these critical conversations, we empower ourselves and our communities to face emergencies with confidence and clarity. It's about building a culture of preparedness that starts in our homes and extends to our neighborhoods," said DHF Secretary Michael Caruso.
The website ready.gov can help with that dialogue. The Center for Threat Preparedness website at dhhr.wv.gov/healthprep/Pages/default.aspx
Through partnerships and collaboration, support public health and medical systems to prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate emergencies and threats to our health is another resource.
Take advantage of them. Use them as tools to start the conversation. And then breathe a little easier knowing you and your family have done what they could to be prepared, should disaster strike.