Upper Makefield Township

With cleanup from hurricane Irene just wrapping up, it is more important than ever for township residents to be informed and prepared for other emergencies and national disasters that could occur this year.

National Preparedness Month is held every September to increase public awareness about emergency preparedness. Like hurricane Irene, natural disasters can occur unexpectedly at any time, and these are tips you can use year-round to ensure that your family, business and community are as ready as can be.

Sign up for ReadyNotifyPA

While the majority of emergencies are unpredictable, if you are informed of situations quickly, you can do simple things to prepare yourself and possibly avoid an crisis situation. 

What is the best way to stay informed and be in-the-know? Find out first with ReadyNotifyPA at www.readynotifypa.com.

The ReadyNotifyPA system is a free emergency alert used by local emergency management officials in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties to send emergency alerts, notifications and updates to the cell phones and e-mail accounts of subscribers. Whether it’s e-mail or text messaging, you get to decide how you’d like to be notified.

ReadyNotifyPA alerts cover many emergencies, including:

• Health threats
• Severe storms including hurricanes, blizzards, and tornados
• Floods
• AMBER alerts
• Black ice
• The need to seek shelter in the event of a chemical release
• And much more!

Online registration is easy!
To sign up, simply visit ReadyNotifyPA’s website, www.readynotifypa.org, and select whether you would like to receive the alerts via text message or e-mail.

Along with being informed about breaking news and emergency information, we encourage everyone to make an emergency supply kit and create a family emergency plan. Emergencies can be scary, but by being informed and prepared, you can reduce the impact that it has on your life and return to your daily routine faster following an emergency. 

Putting together your own emergency kit

The Upper Makefield Board of Supervisors and Township Emergency Management Coordinator Rob Kay encourage you to take time to think about how you would survive for at least three days if an emergency happened in your community. 

Keep in mind, you can’t rely on everyday luxuries like cell phones to be working during an emergency or power outage. When preparing for a possible emergency situation, such as severe weather during hurricane or winter storm season, it's best to think about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air, and warmth.

A basic emergency kit should include:

• Water – one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Cash – ATMs won’t work without electricity
• Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First Aid kit
• Filter mask or cotton t-shirt to help filter the air
• Moist towelettes for sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Unique family needs, such as daily prescription medications, infant formula or diapers, pet supplies and important family documents

Creating a family emergency plan

Additionally, your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to create a family emergency plan in advance. If you are a parent, you should talk about different emergencies and explain to your children that families can prepare for emergencies before they happen.

Having this plan will help alleviate anxiety if an emergency does occur. Your plan should include how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. And don’t forget to include your pet in your family emergency plan!

Learn more at www.readynotifypa.org.

Reminder:  When calling 911 from a cell phone, remember to specify that you are in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.