Get Involved for National Preparedness Month

Once you have prepared a disaster plan for yourself and family and assembled emergency supplies you can use if evacuated, consider helping your neighbors and friends by encouraging them to make their own disaster plans and emergency supplies kit.

For people interested in going beyond helping family and neighbors, there are many local opportunities to explore. Programs like the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) train volunteers in basic response skills so they can help others during emergencies. Others may prefer to help with important work behind the scenes like animal rescue or join organizations such as the American Red Cross or Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to assist with sheltering, feeding and other community needs that develop after a disaster.

"For National Preparedness Month, the County Office of Emergency Services wants to acknowledge all of the residents who volunteer their time and talents in support of community preparedness and response efforts," said Julie Jeakle, emergency services director. "Emergency response is a whole community effort, and we thank all those who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe."

Learn about organizations that engage volunteers:

Reach out to organizations you would like to volunteer with in advance. Many organizations can only use trained volunteers during emergencies, so getting involved before disaster strikes is key.

The Office of Emergency Services lists several county, state and national organizations on the AlertSanDiego Get Involved page including a few highlighted below.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. County residents interested in joining CERT should contact the CERT Program Manager in their community.

San Diego County Animal Services has disaster response volunteers who must be trained in advance to help with transporting or caring for animals during a disaster. To learn more, fill out the volunteer application and check the box for disaster response and the kinds of animals you would like to help.