Ready in 3

The DHSS Ready in 3 emergency preparedness initiative reminds Missourians of what they can do at home, school, and work to prepare for emergencies. With the one-year anniversary of the program, DHSS and LPHAs are working to raise awareness across the state of how important it is to plan in advance for all types of emergencies. The department sent out a news release that:

• Noted March as preparedness month in Missouri;
• Reminded residents of the need to have a family plan and prepare an emergency kit;
• Recommended that residents with emergency kits check expiration dates and replace items that are past their due dates;
• Featured a school in Arnold that used the Family Safety Guide emergency kit checklist to create emergency bags for each of their classrooms, and a family that had an emergency family plan that helped them cope with the devastation of a tornado that destroyed their home.

LPHAs are being asked to give a Ready in 3 presentation, as well as display the poster and emergency kit in their lobbies throughout March.
Television meteorologists were provided materials from DHSS that included a family safety guide and poster asking them to talk about the Ready in 3 preparedness steps during weather forecasts in March. More than 820 schools throughout the state will be providing family safety guides and lesson plans to their students.
The Ready in 3 Family Safety Guide is now available in English, Spanish, Bosnian, and Braille. Family Safety Guides, brochures, fact sheets, posters, presentation materials, newsletter articles, bookmarks, and lesson plans are available for residents, community groups, and businesses. For more information on the Ready in 3 materials or to place an order for materials, please visit the Ready in 3 web site at
www.dhss.mo.gov/BT Response/readymain.html, or call at 573-526-0447.