# 4471
An old Chinese proverb states that a journey of a thousand miles begins a single step.
Emergency planners, and preparedness advocates like myself, are all too aware that most people view the road to preparedness as an arduous journey and therefore never begin.
Since being even a little prepared for a disaster beats not being prepared at all, many public safety agencies are trying to entice people to take that first tentative step towards preparedness.
One such program, just underway in the Pacific Northwest, is Seattle's 3 to Get Ready program.
Much of the United States (and the world) is susceptible to seismic events. Seattle is no exception.
And emergency planners know that in the wake of a major earthquake, individuals and families may need to fend for themselves for hours or possibly even days.
The three steps outlined below won’t get you and your family completely prepared, but they will get you closer.
And you don’t have to live in Seattle to takes this advice to heart.
This April – Take the Preparedness Challenge!
Starting Monday, April 5 – Friday, May 7, 2010, we’ll be hitting the airwaves (mp3), blog sites and on-line news sites with the "3 to Get Ready" Preparedness Challenge! It’s our way of encouraging Seattle and King County residents to jumpstart their preparedness and commemorate April as Disaster Preparedness Month in Washington.
Here’s how it works: complete three steps to preparedness as outlined below, then teach three others to do the same – 3 Friends, 3 Steps, 3 to Get Ready. It’s easy!
On Monday, April 5, go to MyNorthwest.com/getready and sign up for a prize packet that includes a full-color t-shirt, whistle and keychain flashlight. Registration deadline is May 7. Prizes available while supplies last. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.
The three steps are:
1. Store emergency drinking water – click here
2. Create an out-of-area contact – click here
3. Practice drop, cover and hold – click hereInformation is also available in 14 languages.
This campaign focuses on three easy steps that don’t take a lot of time, don’t cost a lot of money, and best of all, get people on their way to being safe and self-sufficient after any emergency or disaster. The more we prepare today, the less we’ll worry about later!
For more on earthquake and general disaster preparedness, you might wish to look at these essays as well.
The L. A. County Emergency Survival Guide
An Appropriate Level Of Preparedness
FEMA Asks: Are You Earthquake Prepared?
Inside My Bug Out Bag
Red Cross Unveils `Do More Than Cross Your Fingers’ Campaign
