Drilling Preparedness Since 1954
June 14 was a historical day for national preparedness! On this day in 1954, a mock nuclear attack drill took place. This event went down in history as the first ever nationwide civil defense drill !
The nuclear attack drill was held in select cities nationwide to practice and prepare for what would happen in the event of a nuclear attack. This drill, lasting little more than 10 minutes, proved the preparedness and communication skills of an entire county and showed that we would fair well in a nuclear attack.
Today, America's PrepareAthon is committed to preparing the nation in the face of possible future disasters. As part of the America's PrepareAthon spring 2014 National Day of Action, multiple drills and exercises were performed to promote and encourage nation-wide preparation. Some examples of these drills are exercises preformed were:
- Flooding table top exercise at Boston College;
- Tornado Drill at the offices of the General Service Administration (GSA);
- Statewide tornado drill in Virginia;
- Volunteer Reception Center exercise at Kansas State University;
- Utah's Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill; and
- Denver Pride Fest Emergency Exercise.
It's time for you to take part! America's PrepareAthon! provides Playbooks and resources to help organizations from across the community implement successful preparedness activities that will enhance the resilience of individuals, organizations and the community as a whole.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) community also provides drill and exercise planning assistance that was developed according to national guidance and principles outlined by the Homeland Security Exercise Program (HSEEP).
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Virginia Citizen Corps Superstars
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Citizen Corps offices are proud to recognize several volunteers in preparedness and response communities across Virginia! Although all volunteers are super stars for the time and effort they contribute to the
Virginia Citizen Corps Programs, several people rose above the call of duty and were selected as this year's Super Star winners.
Click here to view the full list of Citizen Corps Super Star and Super CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) award winners in 12 different categories!
Are you interested in learning more about Citizen Corp and its mission? Check out http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corps for information and recent Citizen Corp news! For information on how you can get involved in your local CERT programs, click here ! To find a nearby CERT program use this tool .
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Myth Busting Lightning!
"If there's lightning, lay down flat on the ground! Seek shelter under a tree! And don't touch someone who's been struck or you'll get shocked!" How many lightning myths have you heard?
The truth is if you lay down on the ground, you're more exposed to electrical currents running underground! Never seek shelter from lightning under a tree. It is actually the second leading cause of lightning fatalities! And if someone is struck by lightning, don't be scared to assist him or her immediately. The human body does not store electricity, and helping them immediately could be essential to their survival!
Before you go out in the rain, it is crucial to know your facts .
- Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it's a tall, pointy, isolated object.
- Most cars are safe from lightning, but it is the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, NOT the rubber tires.
- A house is a safe place to be during a thunderstorm as long as you avoid anything that conducts electricity.
- Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. The presence of metal makes absolutely no difference on where lightning strikes.
Keep yourself and others safe by being lighting aware. Lightning Safety Week begins June 22! For more information on lightning, visit the NOAA lightning page . And for thunderstorm safety tips visit the http://www.ready.gov/thunderstorms-lightning .
NOAA lightning page . And for thunderstorm safety tips visit the http://www.ready.gov/thunderstorms-lightning .
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Summer Vacation Awareness
School is almost out and that means it's time to start planning your summer vacation! For many Americans, the ocean is calling now that beach weather has arrived. While planning for a summer getaway to the coast, it is important to remember that summer is also hurricane season on the East and West coasts of the United States.
If you plan to travel to the coast for the first time, it is critical that you and your family learn about hazards like hurricanes that you may have never experienced or prepared for in the past. The best first step is reviewing America's PrepareAthon ! How to Prepare for a Hurricane Guide .
Hurricanes can put a damper on any family vacation, so it's important to take just a few precautionary action s before you travel to an unfamiliar region:
- Have an emergency kit in your car, camper or suitcase;
- Create a family communication plan;
- Get signed up for weather emergency alerts and warnings in the local vacation area;
- Become familiar with a possible evacuation route; and
- Have a plan on where you would evacuate to or text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to identify the nearest shelter should a disaster strike.
The most reliable way to prevent your beach vacation from getting rained out is by staying aware of upcoming storms and hurricanes. Discover how you can stay up-to-date on local storm info and get alerts with America's PrepareAthon!
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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