PREPAREDNESS CRITICAL WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

When a train derails, barges collide or a blizzard strikes, emergency personnel respond. Some responders attend to the injured; others focus immediately on assessing the dangers. Are toxic chemicals involved? Is the public at risk?

We never know when an emergency will strike. Being prepared is the key to public safety. March is Emergency Preparedness Month - a time to focus on the importance of emergency planning, and to pay tribute to the men and women who aid us during these man-made or natural emergencies.

Events of recent weeks have provided a timely reminder of why emergency plans are essential. A foot of snow that fell in late February reminded us of a blizzard in 1979, which paralyzed the city. A train derailment in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, and two barge collisions over the weekend kept emergency personnel on their toes. Luckily, none of these crashes involved hazardous chemicals. But emergency personnel were ready if these mishaps had proved a danger to the public.

Overseeing crisis response locally is the Cape Girardeau County Office of Emergency Preparedness. Led by Brian Miller, the office must prepare for any emergency - from tornado to thunderstorm; from earthquake to hazardous waste spill. Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep compares the investment in emergency preparedness to buying life insurance. "You hope you'll never need it, but if something happens, you've got it," said Huckstep. It's sound advice.

In addition to coordinating emergency response efforts, the command post oversees communications. The local office also works closely with area law enforcement, and other groups who play a critical role in disaster assistance, such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

But the job of emergency preparedness can't be left to the experts alone. Miller stresses that every individual and family should develop their own plan of action. In the event of a major disaster, people should know how to help themselves and their families - they must be prepared. The county may be left to its own resources for many hours or days following a major disaster. Such was the case with the blizzard of 1979. By knowing how to protect themselves in case of tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, additional injuries may be prevented. The Cape County Office of Emergency Preparedness can help families to develop individual response plans.

No matter what the emergency, the Cape Girardeau County Office of Emergency Preparedness and local law enforcement agencies have a plan to meet it. That preparedness will pay off in lives saved and injuries averted when disaster strikes.