Erie County encourages residents to be ready for emergencies in recognition of September as 'National Preparedness Month'

County will provide daily messages, tips and suggestions all month via social media

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz today announced a month-long initiative that will encourage residents and business owners to help recognize September as National Preparedness Month by sharing information on a daily basis about the importance of being prepared for any type of emergency using the county's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Beginning today and continuing through the entire month, useful information in the form of daily reminders, advice and tips will be shared through Erie County's official Twitter (https://twitter.com/ErieCountyNY) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Erie-County-NY-1701030640123130/) accounts. The month-long effort will continually encourage households, businesses and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies, which could include any type of extreme weather-related occurrence.

"People often ask how they can help first responders when an emergency situation arises," Poloncarz said. "The best type of assistance is to be ready and prepared for any type of emergency, so it helps relieve pressure off of the men and women responding so they can focus their attention on the task at hand. Preparedness is a shared responsibility and one that should be taken seriously by everyone. By working together and developing strategic plans that prepare you for any type of emergency, we can all share the responsibility of being ready before an emergency situation or some type of disaster occurs."

Poloncarz and Erie County's Department of Emergency Services will also be revealing later in the month the "Ready Erie" app, which will be able to be used by the public to create a preparedness plan by simply using their smart phone or other handheld device. The app, which has proven to be quite popular in other communities such as Genesee and Niagara counties, will be able to be accessed anytime to help alert users of potential risks and threats and keep the general public aware of information made available through emergency response agencies, including the county's Department of Emergency Services.

For more information on the Erie County Department of Emergency Services, visit http://www2.erie.gov/emergencyservices/.