Hello on this Friday afternoon to close out August 2012.  As Hurricane Issac brings flooding after sidestepping New Orleans, it is also bringing much needed rain to drought stricken area’s.  September is National Preparedness Month in the US and is a good reminder for those of us north of the border to keep it front and centre in our policies and planning.

Our first article is from katu.com reminding everyone of this months National Preparedness Month in the US.  A quick list with great links to resources covering earthquakes, tsunami’s and the like.  It goes one step further giving advice on shock and emotional health after a disaster.  A good read.

As the hurricane season is upon us, in Miami, the children of Hurricane Andrew, now adults, recall what was learned from the disaster. “You never forget it,” says Tom Vick, who was 9 in August 1992, when the storm that changed everything struck South Miami-Dade County. “It’s something you always carry with you no matter what happens to you.”   Jenny del Campo Bethencourt was 17 at the time and didn’t pay much attention to her parents preparations that night.   Now working in insurance, she reminds people to prepare for natural disasters.  Her parent had homeowners insurance to rebuild. “Some people listen, but it was so long ago that a lot of them don’t pay attention,” she said. “They think it’ll never happen again.”  More personal stories are in the article and it is a great reminder to how precious life is.

We wrap with a great piece from LDSLiving.com on emergency preparedness at work and school. Since many emergencies happen while you are away from home, it helps to think of what we can do to prepare our workplace and schools for a disaster.  The article includes a checklist of recommended items to have for emergencies and encourages individuals to ask the questions of how prepared are the facilities.

Let’s continue to hope and pray that the damage this hurricane season will be minimal and there be no loss of life.