‘Don't Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.’

September is National Preparedness Month. Throughout the month, the initiative, “America’s PrepareAthon,” will take place to increase community preparedness and resilience, according to the website, community.fema.gov.  

The grassroots campaign will culminate with National PrepareAthon Day, Sept. 30.This year’s theme is “Don’t Wait. Communicate.  Make Your Emergency Plan Today.”

According to Steven Dancer, emergency manager, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, base officials will provide several activities throughout the month to promote this initiative effort.

“MCLB Albany’s goal is to educate families regarding emergency communication planning by promoting preparedness information and resources,” according to Dancer.

Each week, he will provide an article outlining emergency preparedness information each week. The scheduled topics are as follows:

Sept. 1 – 5:  Flood

Sept. 6 – 12:  Destructive weather

Sept. 13 – 19:  Terrorism/active shooter

Sept. 20 – 26:  Hazardous materials release/ shelter-in-place

Sept. 27 – 30:  Culmination to National PrepareAthon Day

The emergency manager will have pamphlets at the Commissary, Marine Corps Exchange, Naval Branch Health Clinic Albany, and at Town and County Restaurant and Banquet Center with information on mass notification, threats and hazards associated with MCLB Albany and basic family emergency action plans.

There will be static displays in Buildings 1221, 2200, 3500, 3700, Direct Stock Support Control, and Town and Country Restaurant and Banquet Center.

The monthly AtHoc test will take place Sept. 15 at 9:30 a.m. Marine Corps Family Team Building will host an emergency preparedness class Sept. 16 from 10 -11:30 a.m. and a preparedness fair is scheduled for Sept. 29 from 6 – 8 p.m. with information from Fire and Emergency Services, Game Warden, Marine Corps Community Services, Marine Corps Police Department, Mission Assurance and Public Safety  in the Lincoln Housing area. MCLB Albany’s final event will be a shelter-in-place drill scheduled for Sept. 30 at 10:30 a.m.