NORWICH – With a number of natural disasters in recent years still fresh in the memory of many, the City of Norwich is setting the stage for a citizen preparedness training program to get residents ready before the next disaster.
The citizen preparedness training program is a collaborative effort among the New York State National Guard, Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Senator Tom Libous, Assemblyman Clifford Crouch and Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano. The goal, according to local officials, is to provide area residents with the tools and resources to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions.
“The city prides itself on being prepared, and I think this is just one more activity that will incorporate the whole community,” said Maiurano. “Keeping people informed and knowing what to do during an emergency is important and gives us a chance to answer important questions before there’s a real disaster.”
While hope is to register as many people as possible for this free training event, added Maiurano, people are encouraged to pre-register beforehand. The event is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Norwich High School Auditorium.
In addition to the seminar which teaches citizens what to do in the event of an emergency, the National Guard will issue a disaster preparedness backpack to attending families, filled with suggested items that would be useful in the event of a disaster. Items include:
• Safety goggles
• Six packs of drinking water
• Six food bars
• Emergency blanket
• Duct tape
• Work gloves
• Water bottle
•AM/FM radio with batteries
• Flashlight
• Plastic drop cloth
• Light stick
• 2 “D” batteries
• First aid kit
• Face mask
City Emergency Management Officer A. Jones said that given the multiple incidents of disasterous flooding and storm related power outages across the region in recent years, efforts to educate citizens on disaster preparedness is a crucial undertaking.
“We have a long history of emergencies and disasters in this area,” said Jones, citing a number of devastating natural disasters that have had an impact in New York State in just the last five years.
Furthermore, people who are more prepared for disasters are more self-reliant, which helps ease the burden on entities such as local fire departments, EMS and the American Red Cross in times of disaster, said Jones. Of course, true emergencies will be responded to, he added; but the training event will teach citizens how to do what they can on their own.
“It’s always helpful if we could give people information and tips on how to better prepare themselves,” Jones said. “People who are better prepared for disaster rely less on emergency services during an event ... There’s a lot that people can do to be better prepared and, in many cases, be-self sufficient for up to 72 hours.”
For additional information and to register for the free citizen preparedness training program, visit prepare.ny.gov/training-events and click on the “register” box next tot he Norwich event listed, then fill out the short registration form. At the end of the form, choose the Norwich location from the drop down menu.