April is Disaster Preparedness month, and, right on cue it seems, we’ve had several stark reminders of the impact disasters can have on our daily lives. The storms last Friday evening that devastated nearly a dozen North St. Louis County communities were the latest in what seems like a relentless string of severe storms that have battered the St. Louis region, showing just how vulnerable we are to the whims of Mother Nature. Thankfully – amazingly – nobody died as a result of the storm, which seems impossible after seeing the extent of the damage Saturday morning. Emergency sirens, excellent coverage by on-air meteorologists, and a novel use of social media were crucial in notifying residents of the approaching storms. Yet, looking more broadly at the recent storms, we should consider just how far we’ve come in emergency preparedness, and how much more we can achieve. As we leave Disaster Preparedness month behind us, it’s important to take a closer look at our “culture of preparedness,” and offer a useful analogy.
As discussed in a previous post, we in St. Louis should strive for a culture of preparedness.
I’ve read that one of the greatest threats to the natural environment is not an increase in greenhouse gases, over-consumption, suburban sprawl, etc. – it is a lack of appreciation for the environment and how nature functions. How are people going to live sustainably if they don’t appreciate what it is they are preserving? Despite the vast amount of information available on “green living” and “sustainability,” there continues to be a lack of awareness. If people are not familiar with nature and have little understanding of the services that nature provides, it is unlikely they will choose a sustainable future.
This is analogous to disaster preparedness efforts. Many cities have an emergency plan, a Regional Plan is being created and many agencies such as the American Red Cross, United Way, local EMA’s, among others, work diligently to inform the community of the need to prepare for disasters. Without the awareness of plans and services available during an emergency, however, the ability of these agencies to provide aid to those in need in a timely fashion is seriously diminished. Many more people could be helped if they knew ahead of time what to do, where to go, the location of shelters, etc. By increasing the level of disaster preparation awareness, we can enhance the services already available and support those who work to provide relief.
Motivating people to prepare for emergencies before they happen goes beyond raising awareness, though; it also involves generating behavior change – moving individuals from awareness of the risk to an understanding of the relevance in their lives and providing them the tools, motivation and support to maintain a consistent state of preparedness. That is what we hope to accomplish through the recently launched All Ready campaign, a unified effort among emergency preparedness experts in the St. Louis region that focuses on the importance of emergency preparedness by residents.
We’re getting the message out in a number of ways. A new website at is available at www.AllReadySTL.com, providing one central resource for residents to implement the three steps of preparedness: 1) Make a plan. 2) Get a kit. 3) Be informed. Information is available to help prepare for specific types of emergencies to keep you and your family safe. We’re also conducting an intense community outreach effort beyond the website, forming partnerships and engaging residents where they live, work and socialize.
Emergency preparedness isn’t just the concern of emergency management officials and first responders. It is a responsibility that we all share. It’s important that St. Louis area residents do their part to develop a culture of preparedness. Make sure you have the supplies you need to survive on your own – whether it’s for a few hours or a few days. As we have been reminded time and time again, an emergency can happen at any time. Make time to prepare today.
About the writer: John Wagner is the Community Policy Director at FOCUS.