May 12, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY—Gov. Matt Blunt urges Missourians to practice a family emergency plan and prepare a family emergency kit as Missouri has faced an increased number of storms, flooding, and even earthquake tremors. In recent weeks citizens have felt the effects of Missouri’s 2.7 Valley Park earthquake and the 5.2 Illinois earthquake, and they continue to experience the 1.5-2.5 range of minor earthquakes in Southeast Missouri along the New Madrid Seismic Zone. In addition, storms recently ripped through Western and Southern Missouri while saturated grounds are leaving many Missouri waterways vulnerable to flooding.

"My first concern is always for the safety and well being of Missouri families when severe weather or any threat looms over our state," Gov. Blunt said. "As we learned over the past several weeks, the earthquake threat along the Wabash and the New Madrid Seismic Zone is very real. Also Gladstone, Ava and other communities are still only beginning to clean up from last weeks severe storms. It is imperative that Missouri families recognize the importance of planning ahead for emergencies large and small."

Missouri’s "Ready in Three" program focuses on creating a family emergency plan, preparing an emergency kit, and getting timely and accurate information from state and media sources. The family plan should focus on safely evacuating the home and making sure all family members are accounted.

"Your family’s Ready in Three kit should include important items you might normally take on a camping trip, ranging from medications, food, water, change of clothes, first aid kit, battery radio, bed roll, or blankets and a pillow," Gov. Blunt said.

"In the March flooding, citizens were forced from their homes and in many instances left with the clothes on their backs. I encourage citizens to take a little time to put together these kits for their homes and their cars."

An important element of the "Ready in Three" program is getting accurate information from Missouri’s homepage (www.mo.gov) and from local radio and television stations. Information about Missouri’s earthquake threat and preparedness is available on SEMA’s homepage at http://sema.dps.mo.gov/EQ.htm.

Gov. Blunt encourages all families to practice their emergency planning. The state’s Ready in Three program provides guidelines for families to set up emergency plans. The website is: www.dhss.mo.gov/Ready_in_3/.