Preparation key when floods, fires hit

"It can't happen here." For those in emergency management, this is a refrain heard too often.

All one needs to do is look at past disasters such as the floods and tornadoes in the area to understand the implications of not being prepared. Many had no advance preparation in place and required extensive support to recover.

September is National Preparedness Month. September, with the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack, is a time when everyone is called to action to prepare for the unexpected - large or small, home fire, natural disaster or other major incident.

Emergencies and disasters occur everywhere, every day. In the past five years, Palatine has been affected by flooding resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars lost. There are steps you can take to ensure these costs either don't affect you or are minimized in the future.

The Palatine Emergency Management Agency joins Cook County, the state of Illinois and FEMA in asking everyone to Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed and Get Involved.

One way to be informed is to train with Palatine in its community response program. History shows that people who prepare in advance recover more quickly and easily following an emergency. Those who train and prepare are more confident and able to care for their families.

Join us at 9 a.m. today as the village hosts a downtown ceremony to honor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. And remember: "Be safe, be prepared."

Tom Smith

Coordinator

Palatine Emergency Management