US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association

The final week of National Preparedness Month highlights the importance of helping your community plan for and recover after a disaster. Connecting with those that share your neighborhood can improve communication, preparedness, and recovery efforts. Neighbors are often immediate support following a disaster.

Here are some ways to get involved in your community:

• Learn a life safety skill. Know what to do when someone is hurt by taking a CPR and first aid class.
• Learn what to do in emergency situations before professional help arrives by reading “You Are the Help Until Help Arrives.” Taking these basic actions can help you to help yourself and your neighbors during a disaster.
• Visit National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and see what organizations are active in your community and how you can get involved. Every community has voluntary organizations that work during disasters.
• Find a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and train to help your community in disasters by learning response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.
• Young people ages 18-24 can participate in FEMA Corps, a 10-month commitment focused on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery activities. FEMA Corps members can work directly with disaster survivors, support disaster recovery centers, and share valuable disaster preparedness information with the public.

Each September, National Preparedness Month reminds us to prepare ourselves, our families, and our communities for the disasters and emergencies that could happen where we live, work, and visit.

Learn more about the many ways that you can prepare in the case of a disaster or emergency by visiting Ready.gov.