Are you prepared?

New Yorkers should take steps to prepare themselves in the event of a citywide emergency, a natural disaster or an infrastructure collapse. For example, every home should have a “Go Bag”, a disaster preparedness kit containing emergency supplies – like copies of vital documents, food and water, flashlights and batteries, and first aid supplies – stored in an easy-to-carry container. Two years ago, Public Advocate Gotbaum toured the five boroughs with the American Red Cross, passing out Go Bags and raising awareness about emergency preparedness.

Additionally, families should choose a meeting place, plan an exit route, and designate an out-of-state relative or friend as an emergency contact.

The city Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has compiled user-friendly guides on what to include in your Go Bag, a household disaster plan and what your emergency supply kit should include. You can also find a compilation of "Ready New York" publications relating to disaster preparedness and a primer on potential hazards in New York City. 

More Resources:

• Public Health Emergency Preparedness, provided by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). It includes links to emergency preparedness, as well as a link to advice from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry on Talking to Children About Terrorism and War
• Don't be Left in the Dark!, a state Department of Health pamphlet on how to weather floods, storms and power outages.
• Prepare Today, Cope Better Tomorrow, a DOHMH pamphlet with basic information on handling the stress and anxiety that accompanies any disaster.
• Tips for Seniors, an emergency preparedness guide provided by the city Department for the Aging.
• Are You Ready, an in-depth emergency preparedness guide issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Three Steps to Preparedness, an American Red Cross guide.
• Ready: Prepare, Plan and Stay Informed, a guide from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• The American Red Cross offers information on how to prepare for specific emergencies, ranging from blackouts to flu epidemics to winter storms.

You may want to take an online survey, "Test Your RQ (Readiness Quotient)" prepared by the Council for Excellence in Government, to find out your level of emergency preparedness. For more information, please call the Office of the Public Advocate at 212-669-7250.