10/04/11

Story by Anne Christiansen-Bullers, 913-469-8500, ext. 4184

Emergency Preparedness Program

Free emergency preparedness program offered at JCCC

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Preparing for disaster can be crucial to survival, and a free two-hour program at Johnson County Community College will teach individuals how to be ready in an emergency.

The program, called The Community College Citizen Preparedness Program or 3CP2, will instruct participants on how to create a survival kit and on how to make a communication plan.

The next two classes will be from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 and from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29. Both classes will be conducted in the Carlsen Center, room 232.

Recent disasters close to us – the tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., and Reading, Kan. and the flooding along the Missouri River – illustrate the importance of emergency preparedness training. Disasters farther away – the wildfires on the West Coast, the earthquake in Japan – prove emergencies can happen anywhere at any time.

In 3CP2, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the class facilitator will help you plan the contents of survival kits for your home, your work and your vehicle. That way, wherever you are, your supplies are within reach.

The facilitator also will get you thinking about a communication action plan. When a disaster strikes, loved ones want to know immediately if you are safe. If cell phones aren’t working and the electricity is out, do you have a way to notify your entire family of your status?

Pet owners and people with disabilities have unique challenges in an emergency, and 3CP2 curriculum offers special advice for them as well.

Information about and registration for upcoming classes can be found at http://blogs.jccc.edu/3cp2/training-dates or by calling 913-469-2323.

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