True
Get Prepared
A blizzard, tornado, flood, an ice-storm, a fire can hit a community at any time. Many who live in the plains have learned to make preparations like having fresh batteries, an additional heat source, candles, and stored food for example. The better prepared you are, the better you, your family, and your community will come through it and begin to recover.
There is a potential for a new disaster to strike, the H1N1, a flu virus that has been declared a pandemic. The initial outbreak in the United States was mild, but no one knows what the second wave will hold, and with flu season upon us, the "second wave" is now. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than one (1) million people in the United States currently have, or have had, the H1N1 virus. Almost all viruses identified so far are H1N1 Influenza A viruses.
Prepare yourself:
Guidance is already at your computer, South Dakota Department of Health at www.sd.doh.gov and bReadySD at www.bReadySD.com There are resources on these sites to help individuals, families, schools, businesses, faith-based organizations and communities make plans, prepare, respond and recover from pandemic influenza. If you are prepared for a pandemic, you are prepared for any disaster. For checklists to guide you, also see:
Prepare your family:
Now is the time to create a family response plan and contact list. Include children in the planning so they understand what can possibly happen and how to stay safe. An informative, fun and interactive website that shows children how to be prepared is at Ready Kids
Prepare your neighborhood:
Work with neighbors and community groups to create a plan to communicate with each other during a pandemic or any community emergency. Create a plan to check on neighbors who are elderly, disabled or others who might need help. For checklists and other information on preparing older adults or people with special needs for an emergency, see:
