WILDFIRES, earthquakes and severe storms: They make for compelling viewing on the evening news, but most of us assume they won't happen to us.
"That's what we're fighting all the time, that it either won't happen, or it won't happen to me, or it'll be so big I can't do anything about it," said Dorit Mason, director of the North Shore Emergency Management Office.
This week is Emergency Preparedness Week, and NSEMO wants North Shore residents to stop procrastinating and get prepared. NSEMO revamped its website last month and is reaching out to residents through social media like Facebook and Twitter. But the message remains the same: Make a plan.
"It's not one of those things that's a high priority on people's lists until they've been faced by an emergency," said Mason.
NSEMO recommends people prepare to take care of themselves for at least 72 hours, and ideally up to a week, in the event of an emergency.
"Taking small steps is a great way to prepare you and your family," said Mason. "We just encourage people to think about it: If they didn't have power, if they had to evacuate their homes, what would they like to take with them?"
For more information and tips on how to get prepared for an emergency, visit www.nsemo.org.
