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VIEWPOINT

Give the Gift of Preparedness

Steve Cutright
Contributor
January 2008

A special message from Steve Cutright,

Chief, Emeryville Fire Department

How many of us struggle to buy

meaningful gifts for our family and

friends? When a disaster strikes it

focuses our attention on the importance

of disaster preparedness and

mitigation, and the critical need to

take appropriate action before disaster

strikes. Th e challenge is to convert

these good intentions into action.

Th ere are lots of opportunities to

give meaningful gifts to family and

friends: birthdays, anniversaries,

graduation, starting a new job, a

housewarming or celebrating a promotion.

Consider giving important,

inexpensive life-saving gifts that say ‘I

care!’ and can help reduce risk exposure

for friends and loved ones. Disaster-

ready gifts can save lives and are a

wonderful way to make 2008 a more

disaster-resistant year for everyone.

Emergency and preparedness items

that make great gifts include:

• NOAA Weather Radios

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide

detectors

• Appropriate portable fi re extinguishers

(kitchen, garage, car).

• Disaster kits for home, offi ces and

autos (fi rst aid kits, food, water for

72 hours, extra clothing, blankets,

fl ashlights).

• Foldable ladders for second-story

escape in a fi re.

• Car kits (emergency fl ares, folding

shovels ice scraper, fl ashlights and

fl uorescent distress fl ags).

• Pet Disaster Kits (food, water, leashes,

dishes and carrying case or crate).

• Camping equipment and supplies

such as tents, sleeping bags, camp

stoves and other items.

A treasure trove of preparedness

information and tips is available from

the U.S. Department of Homeland

Security at: www.ready.gov and from

FEMA at: www.fema.gov.

Other great on-line resources are:

•American Red Cross: www.redcross.

org

•Calif. Offi ce of Emergency Services:

www.oes.ca.gov

• PG&E: www.pge.com/safety

• City of Emeryville Fire Department:

To receive a schedule of upcoming

classes in our Community

Emergency Response Team program

or for more disaster preparedness

information, please contact Marcie

Anderson at (510) 596-3750,manderson@

ci.emeryville.ca.us; or Captain

Jason Beach at jbeach@ci.emeryville.

ca.us

We wish you all a safe and happy

2008.

Stephen L. Cutright. Fire Chief

City of Emeryville Fire Department

(510) 596-3750; scutright@

ci.emeryville.ca.us