Ocean County Health Department prepares residents to weather the storm through emergency planning

Toms River, NJ (January 30, 2013) – Tuesday night at the
Ocean County Family Success Center, the Ocean County Health Department presented their program ‘How to Develop an Emergency Plan’ to a group of residents and local childcare providers.   After enduring Sandy last October and the devastation it left behind along the New Jersey coast, residents were eager to know what else they can do. Health Educator John Clayton and Program Development Specialist Natalie Purpuro reviewed the steps individuals and families can take to prepare themselves for future disasters.

Attendees learned the importance of maintaining a list of
emergency contacts, investing in crank radios and non-perishable foods, having an emergency bag with supplies that can get residents through three to five days, and other helpful preparations that can lessen the stress of a disaster.  At the end of the workshop attendees were given a bag filled with resourceful pamphlets and items to start their own emergency preparedness bag.

“It was very informative. [John Clayton] was very knowledgeable. It reinforced that we were doing what was necessary in case of an emergency,” said Donna Keogh, a child care provider at First Adventure Preschool and Childcare in Forked River.

For more information and to get in contact with the OC
Health Department, check out www.ochd.org

About the
Ocean County Family Success Center

The Ocean County Family Success Center is the third Family Success Center to be opened and managed by The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey.  State funding is provided through a competitive grant awarded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships.

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with some evening and weekend events.  A monthly calendar of events can be found
online at www.chsofnj.org.  The Ocean County Family Success Center is located at 1433 Hooper Avenue, Suite 121, Toms River, New Jersey, 08753.

About the Children’s Home Society
of New Jersey
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey is a nonprofit child and family serving agency whose mission is to save children’s lives and build healthy families.  Founded in 1894, the agency protects abused or neglected infants and at-risk children by insuring stable, permanent, and
loving homes for each and every child it serves.  All services are confidential and most are free.  For
more information, visit The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey website at chsofnj.org.