This Saturday, the American Red Cross will provide free emergency preparedness training in the Community Room from 11am-1pm, as part of a program to make sure that all New York State communities are ready and prepared for any kind of disaster.
“Prepare, Respond, Recover: What to Do when Disaster Strikes” is available to participants 16 years of age or older and will include “active shooter” (run/hide/fight) and “hands-only” CPR training. Call the library at (518)284-3126 to reserve a spot.
All participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the training.
The training is being held as part of September’s National Preparedness Month events. State Senator Jim Seward is also urging residents to take advantage of training events.
“Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and Superstorm Sandy were not that long ago and are still fresh in the minds of New Yorkers. Many area communities suffered through those devastating storms and have worked extremely hard to rebuild, with work still left to do in some places,” Senator Seward said.
“Targeted grants for homeowners and businesses, appliance replacement rebate programs, and state assistance to cover the local share of public disaster response and recovery costs are just a few examples of recent recovery efforts,” he said.
“Also, New York State has also taken a proactive approach to rebuilding – providing flood mitigation grants to help storm ravaged communities reconstruct flood stricken areas and shore up streams and waterways to better withstand future severe weather events.
“These grants will help make sure homes and businesses are protected for years to come without burdening local governments and taxpayers,” Senator Seward said.
“It is crucial that we take steps before severe weather strikes to prepare for all possible outcomes. With severe weather striking on a much more regular basis, we must focus on strengthening our infrastructure, improving our emergency response capabilities, and enhancing our capacity to rebuild,” he added.
Senator Seward has co-sponsored several Civilian Preparedness Training programs to help everyone be better prepared in case a disaster strikes. The free training sessions, led by the New York National Guard, last about two hours and provide citizens with the tools and resources to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions.
Each family in attendance receives a New York State Disaster Preparedness Backpack containing essential items to store in their homes.
A complete list of upcoming training sessions, and the on-line pre-registration form, can be found at www.prepare.ny.gov.
The events are free and open to the public, but you must pre-register and show ID at check-in.
New dates and times are always being added.
Information on training sessions in the 51st Senate District will also be posted on Senator Seward’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/senatorjimseward.