News from the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Public Information Contacts: Linda Van Zandt / Joanne Vuoso / Lisa Krueger

908.231.7020 publicinfo@co.somerset.nj.us

August 30, 2006

Local Grocery Stores to Help Raise Awareness

About Family Emergency Preparedness

September is National Preparedness Month

The Somerset County Department of Health, in conjunction with local grocery stores, is promoting family emergency preparedness displays to include items such as water, flashlights, batteries, canned goods and non-perishable items. The displays are being developed as part of a local public-health outreach campaign during National Preparedness Month in September.

Participating stores this year include the A&P stores in Manville, Pluckemin and Basking Ridge; Costco and Wegman’s in Bridgewater; Kings Supermarket in Bedminster and Bernardsville; Pathmark in Somerville, Hillsborough and North Plainfield; ShopRite in Bernardsville, Branchburg and Montgomery; and Stop & Shop in Basking Ridge. The goal of the outreach program is to encourage families to start thinking about preparedness and assemble the kit using the items on display.

Each store manager and staff will develop their store’s display of these emergency-preparedness items. The Somerset County Health Department will provide “Ready Together New Jersey” brochures and the Somerset County Office of Emergency Management will provide disaster-supplies checklists and family emergency communication plan worksheets.

“This is the second year that we are conducting this program,” said Freeholder Peter S. Palmer, health department liaison. “We are pleased to be expanding our outreach efforts into other areas of the county with the cooperation of additional local grocery stores.

“Grocery stores are the logical place to begin raising awareness of the need to create a family emergency preparedness kit, because most of the items you would need for a ‘go-kit’ are there,” he said.

“Our communities are not impervious to natural emergencies like flood, storms and fires or to manmade disasters such as power outages, water main breaks or an act of terrorism,” Freeholder Palmer said. “The federal government also has advised us to prepare for events like a pandemic flu, so stocking up on these items is always a good precaution to take.”

Assembling a “go-kit” is easy if you take the time to prepare now and think about your own personal needs and the needs of your family members, which include special needs of children, disabled members and the elderly. It is even easier if you buy a little at a time and buy one extra item each time you visit the grocery store.

For more information, contact Health Educator/ Risk Communicator Candice Davenport in the Somerset County Health Department at (908) 231-7155 or davenport@co.somerset.nj.us. You also can download a copy of the “Ready Together New Jersey” brochure and the checklist and worksheet from the health department homepage at www.co.somerset.nj.us/health.