Naval District Washington (NDW) held a proclamation signing on the Washington Navy Yard, in recognition of National Preparedness Month, Sept. 6.

Rear Adm. Carl Lahti, NDW commandant, signed a proclamation declaring September 2019 to be NDW Preparedness Month, kicking off a four-week campaign designed to promote proactive emergency readiness. National Preparedness Month is observed every year, with this year's overall theme being "Prepared, Not Scared."

"It's one month that's set aside where we want to reiterate preparedness on the individual level," said Jeffrey Sanford, NDW region program director for emergency management. "National Preparedness Month is about having a plan, developing a kit for that plan and following through to take care of you and your family" said Sanford.

Each week in September has a theme tied into preparedness. The first week's theme is "Save Early for Disaster Costs," the second week's theme is "Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters," the third theme is "Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters," and the final theme is "Get Involved in Your Community's Preparedness."

"Businesses aren't going to be open in an emergency scenario. You're not going to be able to drive down to McDonald's and get something to eat. We ask everyone to maintain at least a three day supply of food and water for you and you're family. You're going to need cash, because there may not be working ATMs. You may need a generator to power your home," said Sanford.

In the event of an emergency, it's important to not only have a plan for you and your family, but it's also recommended that there be a plan for your pets.

"People tend to forget about their pets. They need to have three days of food and water ready for their pets as well. There's places you may evacuate to that don't take pets, so you need to have a plan. The last thing you want to do is leave your pets in the house. If you have no place to take your pets, you may just stay home and try to ride out the storm. At that point you're putting yourself and your family in peril. You have to have a plan that covers the entire spectrum of your family," said Sanford. All of the preparedness tools being promoted in September could keep you and your family safe year-round.

"Preparedness is a year-long effort that we just highlight in September. You really should always be ready. When you poll people who evacuate their homes they always say the same thing: 'I didn't expect it was going to happen to me," said Sanford.

For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit https://www.ready.navy.mil/ or https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/ndw/om/national_preparedness_month.html

For more information on events happening in NDW, visit http://www.facebook.com/NavDistWash.

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For more news from Naval District Washington, visit www.navy.mil/.