Free community event will educate about emergency preparation tactics
TYRONE – Tyrone Hospital will host Be Prepared for Emergencies on Sept. 28, in honor of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Preparedness Month. The event will provide information and resources for community members to learn how to properly prepare for potential emergency situations.
The event is free, and anyone is welcome to attend. It will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the Tyrone Hospital campus. From 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., there will be an Active Shooter Educational Program, led by Tom Smith, safety officer at Tyrone Hospital. The program will cover the actions the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends that community members take in the event of an active shooter emergency.
In addition, there will be multiple exhibits throughout the Tyrone Hospital Campus. These will include: a bike rodeo for kids, tours of a Stat MedEvac emergency medical transport helicopter, meet-and-greet with the Blazing Arrow Hook and Ladder, Neptune and Bald Eagle Volunteer fire departments, Tours of an AMED ambulance and MedVan medical transport vehicle, tour of the Blair County Emergency Management Agency Communications Bus and information about Community Emergency Response Teams, (CERT), information about the Blair County Hazardous Materials Team, Hands Only CPR instruction, information and police car tours with the Tyrone Borough Police Department and Pennsylvania State police, tips on preparing emergency supplies kits and car seat safety checks. The Philipsburg-based state police will also be on the campus from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. doing hands-on demonstrations with fatal vision glasses.
National Preparedness Month, which began in 2004, is a yearly effort by FEMA to keep Americans prepared for any emergencies. FEMA’s goal is to engage the public, in order to inspire making preparedness a daily part of their lives. For more information about National Preparedness Month, as well as tips on keeping safe, visit FEMA’s Web site www.ready.gov.
Knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency is crucial in keeping safe. Even the most basic protective actions can make an impact in the event of safety hazards. The Be Prepared for Emergencies event will provide all the information and tools needed to help families learn how to take such actions.
