September 25, 2015 --
Disasters can happen at any time. From lightening
strikes to tornadoes, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany leaders want to
prevent the loss of life, human or animal, and minimize property damage as much
as possible.
For this reason, base officials held the first emergency
preparedness fair at Lincoln Family Housing Community Center, Sept. 22.
September is National Preparedness Month and the
theme is “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.”
With the theme in mind, Steve Dancer, emergency
manager, MCLB Albany, said the fair was held to help educate Marines and their
family members so they will know what to do in case of an emergency situation.
“The purpose of the preparedness fair is to provide
the installation housing residents actions that they can take to ensure their
families are better prepared should a disaster strike,” Dancer said. “We want
to engage the (military) community to ensure they know the faces (especially
children) of those (who) would be responding to a disaster. We want to make an
impact on the children so that when they see big trucks with lights and see
people in a different outfit other than civilian clothes, that they are not
afraid.”
He added the fair also gave parents and caregivers
an opportunity to be aware of support that could be received if a major
incident should happen on base, including the Red Cross and Public Health.
Staff Sgt. Michael T. Prescott Jr., small armorer
repair technician, Weapons Systems Maintenance Center, Marine Corps Logistics
Command, attended the event with his family.
Prescott also learned about MCLB Albany’s mass
notification system.
“We are a small, tight-knit community and it makes
it a lot more comforting knowing that if I am deployed my wife and children can
receive emergency notifications on their cell phones and personal email,”
Prescott said.
During the event, MCLB Albany Emergency Management
provided information on the mass notification system; Sailors from the Naval
Branch Health Clinic, Albany provided information about immunizations, pharmacy
and TRICARE information and Public Health Emergency Preparedness provided
education on how to prepare individual emergency kits.
Other representatives included Marine Corps Police
Department, game warden, MCLB Albany’s Fire and Emergency Services, Boy Scout
Troop 23 from Albany, Georgia, and the Red Cross.