Are you ready in the event of a family tragedy, a natural disaster, an act of terrorism? Do you have a plan if you and your family members are at home, at work, or on vacation? The City of Blaine takes your safety seriously and urges individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools, and businesses to be prepared. Are you prepared, take the Emergency Preparedness Education Institute Quiz and find out.

The likelihood that you and your family will survive a house fire depends as much on having a working smoke detector and an exit strategy, as on a well-trained fire department. The same is true for surviving a terrorist attack or other emergency. We must have the tools and plans in place to make it on our own, at least for a period of time, no matter where we are when disaster strikes. Just like having a working smoke detector, preparing for the unexpected makes sense.

Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters. You can reduce the impact of disasters and sometimes avoid the danger completely, simply by be prepared.

Disasters disrupt many lives every year. Each disaster has lasting effects, both to people and to property. If a disaster occurs, the City of Blaine and disaster-relief organizations will try to help you, but you need to be ready as well. Local responders may not be able to reach you immediately, or they may need to focus their efforts elsewhere. You should know how to respond to severe weather or any disaster that could occur in our area - extreme cold, flooding, tornadoes, or fires. You should be ready to be self-sufficient for at least three days. This may mean providing your own shelter, first aid, food, water, and sanitation.

The City of Blaine has assembled this information which has been produced by the Minneapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross, the American Red Cross, the Emergency Preparedness Education Institute, the Federal Emergency Management Organization, Department of Homeland Security (www.ready.gov), and the Minnesota Department of Health to help you prepare. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact either Bob Fiske, Deputy Emergency Management Director at 763-717-2629 or Kerry Fenner, Emergency Management Director, at 763-785-6131.

By taking the following steps you can be prepared.

First, make a plan for what you will do in an emergency. Everyone should make a Family Disaster Plan. Planning for disaster is an essential step in preparedness. Individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools, and businesses need to know what to do and where to go in the event of a disaster.

Second, build a kit to prepare for disasters before they strike. Whether you are evacuating or staying where you are, a Disaster Supplies Kit can save the lives of you, your family, and your co-workers.

Third, be informed about what might happen. Knowing the types of disasters that can affect you and your family and how to prepare for them is an important step. What to do when disaster strikes means getting trained, and the City of Blaine as well as the American Red Cross can help you do that.

Fourth, get involved in preparing your community. Help others prepare by volunteering.

Start to prepare here, today. A copy of "Preparing Makes Sense. Get Read Now." is available for download and put together by the US Department of Homeland Security and www.Ready.gov.