WEST TRENTON N.J. – This Sunday, we turn our clocks ahead as Daylight Savings Time returns. Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and Director of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, is encouraging all New Jersey residents to create a household emergency kit and family emergency communication plan.

"During the bi-annual clock change, we are reminded by various officials to check our household safety devices, especially smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries. We’re also asking New Jersey residents to develop a disaster family plan and disaster supply kit. If you have already created a disaster plan and kit, this will serve a reminder to check and update them," Fuentes said.

There are three steps you can take to prepare for the unexpected, and reduce stress and anxiety during an actual emergency. Preparedness basics apply to all hazards; being ready now means that residents will be ready for any disaster or crisis that may affect New Jersey. "By taking time to get ready - creating an appropriate emergency plan for yourself, your family or place of business, you are readying your environment for any potential emergency," added Fuentes.

The three steps to emergency preparedness:

STEP ONE: "BUILD A KIT" of Emergency Supplies

ITEMS FOR YOUR HOME:
• Three days' supply of canned, non-perishable, ready-to-eat FOOD
• Three days' supply of WATER (a total of three gallons per family member)
• Battery-operated RADIO and extra batteries
• FLASHLIGHT and extra batteries (not candles)
• One week's prescription MEDICATIONS
• FIRST AID KIT
• Personal TOILETRIES
• Non-electric CAN OPENER and UTENSILS
• SPECIFIC SITUATION items:
  • INFANT and child care care items
  • Items for ELDERLY family members
  • Items for relatives with DISABILITIES
• CASH, in the event that ATM’s are not available
• Store important DOCUMENTS in a waterproof, safe location
• Car charger for your cell phone

IN CASE YOU NEED TO EVACUATE:
• Keep your auto at least half-filled with GAS at all times
• Consider alternatives to public shelter – if you have a friend or relative to stay with, offer to help them in return
• Every family member should carry CONTACT INFORMATION:
  • All phone numbers at work, school, etc. for every family member, physicians, and other important contacts
  • The name and number of a relative who lives out-of-state; in the event local land line telephone systems are compromised or busy, you may be able make out of state calls

STEP TWO: "MAKE A PLAN" for Yourself, Your Family or Your Business

• Talk about the types of disasters that are most likely to happen in your area with household members and why everyone needs to prepare
• Explain the dangers of emergency incidents to children and how to remain safe until they are reunited with parents. Check out FEMA for Kids for ideas on how to talk to children about disasters (http://1.usa.gov/Ak2Z3V)
• Decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go and what you will do in an emergency. Check out ww.ready.gov for a family planning template you can fill in on line and print out for each family member (http://1.usa.gov/AESjNU)
• Address any specific or unique concerns in the event of an emergency, e.g., the needs of people with disabilities, elderly family members, babies
• Make provisions for pets
• Reach out to others who might find disaster preparedness challenging, lend a hand

STEP THREE: STAY INFORMED

On the Web – Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. The NJOEM works closely with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center regarding storm predictions and forecasts.

• National Weather Service - http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/
• National Hurricane Center - http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
• New Jersey Office of Emergency Management - www.ready.nj.gov
• American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/
• Federal Emergency Management Agency – www.ready.gov

Social Media – Social media and other advanced communications technologies are used by frequently by emergency managers statewide. Find out if your community has a “reverse 9-1-1” system or if you can opt-in for email updates from municipal officials. “Like” the NJOEM on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Jersey-Office-of-Emergency-Management/165525506798189
Twitter: @NJOEM2010

NJ Alert - NJ Alert is a free, voluntary and confidential emergency alerting system that allows NJ Office of Emergency Management officials to send E-mail or text messages to cell phones, and other email enabled devices during an emergency event. Sign up for NJ Alert by logging on to: www.njalert.gov.

NOAA Weather Radio - is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service Office. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOAA Weather Radios are typically inexpensive, easily available in stores and can often be programmed for your specific area.

Traditional Media – Continue to monitor traditional media sources – TV, newspapers and radio – to stay informed of breaking news and continued coverage of emergency events.

Connect with information sources and stay in-the-know. Learning about hazards in your area, knowing about emergency plans that have been established, and staying informed are the first steps toward being a disaster survivor, not a disaster victim.

To stay informed about disasters and emergencies in New Jersey via social media, follow the NJOEM on Twitter @ReadyNJ, "like" us on www.facebook.com/READYNEWJERSEY, or get email and text message alerts via www.Nixle.com or www.njalert.gov.