West Pierce Fire & Rescue announcement.

West Pierce Fire & Rescue is dedicated to ensuring the community is prepared in the event of a disaster. During major disasters, such as an earthquake, firefighters may be delayed in their response to 9-1-1 calls and the community will need to rely on each other to assist until help arrives.

Each month, WPFR is sharing tips from the Washington Emergency Management Division’s Prepare in a Year series, available here in both English and Spanish. This process breaks down disaster preparedness into smaller tasks that can be accomplished month to month.

This month’s disaster preparedness tip is about building a communications plan.
If you are separated from your loved ones when a disaster strikes, you will be concerned for their safety and location. It is recommended that every household member has an out-of-area contact card in their wallet, purse or backpack. An out-of-area contact (someone who lives more than 100 miles away) is important because local communication lines may become affected during a disaster.

Prep tip: you may be able to send text messages on your cell phone, but keep these messages short.

Looking for more information about disaster preparedness education opportunities? Please visit our website for information about the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.

Source: The Suburban Times