Sept. 13, 2008
Preparing for Disasters Now Will Minimize Their Damage Later
From The Governor’s Desk
A weekly column by Gov. Joe Manchin
Charleston, WV (HNN) -- Earlier this week, I joined first responders, community volunteers, emergency management officials, businesses and area news media to proclaim September as National Preparedness Month. This was an opportunity to share with our citizens the importance of being prepared for a disaster or major emergency.
I presented the proclamation statewide in conjunction with the national urging by the president and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross. We cannot prevent disasters – they are going to happen – but we can minimize their impact if we know what to expect and have the mindset and tools ready when disaster strikes.
While our first responders are among the best in the country and I know we can count on them to assist us when disaster strikes, each of us – every West Virginian and every American – shares the responsibility to be prepared for emergencie s. Preparedness starts in the home. But we must also prepare our businesses and our entire community for what can happen.
Preparedness saves lives. It ensures that we will be able to recover in the event of a major emergency. Disasters can set us back years. But if we are ready for the worst, not only is the damage limited, we can get back on our feet much quicker. That’s why I think it’s so important to encourage West Virginians to prepare their family members, their households, their businesses and their communities for emergencies.
I want to thank our volunteers from across the state for their hard work in times of emergency. I’ve seen their power firsthand. As governor, I have learned so much about the importance of volunteers and a community coming together through tragedies such as the Sago and Aracoma mine disasters and flooding this past June.
We learned a lot in the short time after those disasters, and I think we are better prepared now. But we can’t be too prepared and we can’t have too many volunteers.
I know that West Virginians and businesses want to help in their communities and they want to volunteer, but I’m not sure they always know how they can become involved. That’s why I encourage you to talk with local volunteer groups, including the West Virginia Citizen Corps Council, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, church groups or the Business Volunteer Council.
Being aware of the importance of preparedness is just the start of being ready for disaster. We must work together as communities prepared to help each other out when disaster strikes. I encourage you to look at two web sites to learn how you can become involved and prepared: www.volunteerwv.org and www.ready.gov.
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Preparing for Disasters Now Will Minimize Their Damage Later
From The Governor’s Desk
A weekly column by Gov. Joe Manchin
Charleston, WV (HNN) -- Earlier this week, I joined first responders, community volunteers, emergency management officials, businesses and area news media to proclaim September as National Preparedness Month. This was an opportunity to share with our citizens the importance of being prepared for a disaster or major emergency.
I presented the proclamation statewide in conjunction with the national urging by the president and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross. We cannot prevent disasters – they are going to happen – but we can minimize their impact if we know what to expect and have the mindset and tools ready when disaster strikes.
While our first responders are among the best in the country and I know we can count on them to assist us when disaster strikes, each of us – every West Virginian and every American – shares the responsibility to be prepared for emergencie s. Preparedness starts in the home. But we must also prepare our businesses and our entire community for what can happen.
Preparedness saves lives. It ensures that we will be able to recover in the event of a major emergency. Disasters can set us back years. But if we are ready for the worst, not only is the damage limited, we can get back on our feet much quicker. That’s why I think it’s so important to encourage West Virginians to prepare their family members, their households, their businesses and their communities for emergencies.
I want to thank our volunteers from across the state for their hard work in times of emergency. I’ve seen their power firsthand. As governor, I have learned so much about the importance of volunteers and a community coming together through tragedies such as the Sago and Aracoma mine disasters and flooding this past June.
We learned a lot in the short time after those disasters, and I think we are better prepared now. But we can’t be too prepared and we can’t have too many volunteers.
I know that West Virginians and businesses want to help in their communities and they want to volunteer, but I’m not sure they always know how they can become involved. That’s why I encourage you to talk with local volunteer groups, including the West Virginia Citizen Corps Council, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, church groups or the Business Volunteer Council.
Being aware of the importance of preparedness is just the start of being ready for disaster. We must work together as communities prepared to help each other out when disaster strikes. I encourage you to look at two web sites to learn how you can become involved and prepared: www.volunteerwv.org and www.ready.gov.
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