During National Preparedness Month (and All Year Long) Help Your Family be Ready if an Emergency Happens

By Denny Boyles

Disasters can happen without warning. To help keep your family safe, PG&E encourages customers to talk with their families or coworkers and make emergency plans. 

September is National Preparedness Month, and this year the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a theme - “The life you’ve built is worth protecting. Prepare for disasters to create a lasting legacy for you and your family.” 

Taking just a little time planning for emergencies today can make a tremendous difference if a disaster happens at your home or business, said Angie Gibson, PG&E Vice President of Emergency Preparedness and Response. 

“My team and I focus on preparedness year-round. We believe firmly that the time spent preparing for emergencies reflects not only our commitment to the communities we service, but also an investment in the future. The more prepared we are today, the faster we can respond when emergencies occur,” Gibson said. 

Gibson said these teams, from meteorologists and geologists to emergency managers and career public safety leaders, work every day to help PG&E and our customers prepare for wildfires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or major storms. She also encourages customers to check with their local emergency preparedness experts. 

“Visit your County Emergency Services website and understand the risks and hazards around you,” she said. “This will provide a great framework to know what you need to be prepared for and how to keep your family and neighbors safe.” 

To help you protect your family, PG&E’s Safety Action Center offers tips on preparing emergency plans and other ways to keep your family safe. When preparing your emergency supplies, consider these tips -

• Have at least one gallon of drinking water per day for each person in your household.
• Keep a supply of non-perishable food that is easy to prepare without power.
• Make sure you have a non-electric can opener, as well as utensils ready in case you must leave your home in an emergency.
• Keep your cell phones charged and consider buying a portable charging battery for phones and other personal electronic devices such as laptops.
• Keep a list of necessary medications and prescriptions. 

The Ready.Gov website also offers a wide range of emergency preparedness tools and tips, including ways to prepare your family to respond before, during and after an emergency.