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September is National Preparedness Month and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) encourages everyone to take time out of their busy schedules this month to prepare for the unexpected.

“When disaster strikes we need to be prepared to take care of ourselves for at least 72 hours,” said NEMA Assistant Director Bryan Tuma. “A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. Local officials and relief workers may not be able to help everyone immediately after a disaster so it is recommended that you have your own food, water and supplies. National Preparedness Month reminds us to build a kit or update the one we already have.”

Tornadoes, floods and fires could affect Nebraskans with little or no notice. Be prepared to take care of yourselves and those you care about until help can arrive. The best time to plan and assemble an emergency preparedness kit is right now. Whether at home or on the go, have emergency plans in place wherever your family spends their time: work, daycare, school, houses of worship, sports events, commuting or traveling. Be disaster ready, wherever you may be.

NEMA has a Family Disaster Preparedness Kit at https://nema.nebraska.gov/files/doc/preparedness-kit.pdf that you can use to assemble your own supplies in case a disaster strikes. Other preparedness information can be found on the NEMA website at www.nema.nebraska.gov. Store your kit and support materials where you can find them easily and move them quickly. The best-supplied kit may not do any good if you can’t take it with you. Consider using a buddy system with nearby families, to help and support one another in the case of extreme emergencies.

“The state’s local emergency managers and NEMA have plans to address a wide range of natural and man-made disasters, but individuals and families must be prepared to assume a role in personal health and safety emergency preparedness,” said Nikki Weber, NEMA Preparedness Section Manager. “Plans should include where to meet if a home is destroyed and include a list of important personal information, including medical information, for every family member. Our health, and the health of our loved ones, could very well depend on our kit and our plan if there is a major disaster.”

NEMA works to reduce the vulnerabilities of the people and communities of Nebraska from the damage, injury and loss of life and property resulting from natural, technological, or man-made disasters and emergencies. For more information, visit www.nema.nebraska.gov and check out these tips for being prepared for severe weather: https://nema.nebraska.gov/operations/spring-and-summer-severe-weather-preparedness,  https://nema.nebraska.gov/operations/floods, https://nema.nebraska.gov/operations/fire-drought or https://nema.nebraska.gov/operations/winter-weather#ind-fam. Follow NEMA on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/nema.page?ref=hl and on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/NEMAtweets.