Novato Asks: How Will YOU Contact Family in an Emergency?

The following is a news release from the city of Novato:

In a continuing effort to provide robust emergency management services to the community, Novato Emergency Management—a partnership of the City of Novato and the Novato Fire District, is asking Novatans to “do 1 thing,” a month that prepares you and yours for the next disaster.

This month’s tip is to have the ability to communicate with family members during a disaster.

Today we have more ways to speak with one another than ever before. We are used to staying in touch with cell phones, internet, and email, but disasters can change things. These devices may not be available. Cell phone towers quickly become overloaded with people trying to reach friends and family. If the power is out at your home, cordless phones, internet, and email will not work.

To stay connected during a disaster, here are some things that you can do:

· Have a non-electric phone with a cord and a car charger for your cell phone in case of a power failure.

· Develop a plan for how your family will stay in touch during a disaster. (Find this wallet-sized form at www.ready.gov.)

· Program in Case of Emergency (ICE) numbers into all family cell phones.

For additional local preparedness information, check out “Do 1 Thing,” a non-profit organization that builds stronger communities through emergency preparedness and emphasizes simple and easy steps you can take, each month, to improve your preparedness. This program is distributed locally by Novato Emergency Management, a partnership of the City of Novato and Novato Fire District.

Also, join Alert Marin – Telephone Emergency Notification System to register your cell phone of VoIP (voice-over internet protocol) phone to receive local emergency alerts sent by call, text, or e-mail from the County of Marin Office of Emergency Services. You can also receive training through our free, two-hour preparedness course, Get Ready—by calling the Novato Police Department at 415-897-4361 as well as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training—which is an 18-hour course that takes you beyond the basics offered in Get Ready. CERT is offered around Marin County, with a class being offered in Novato beginning July 31.For more information, go to www.readymarin.org