How many times have we gone through the motions of getting ready for a hurricane only to be unprepared? When the weather announcer gives us the news that a hurricane is on its way; do we shutter or get busy with what needs to be done? Do we even know what needs to be done? It is amazing to me how the public reacts when we are given the news of an oncoming storm. Walmarts are usually emptied the day before and people seem to be in a panic. But if we know what to do, we can be calm.

There is a new campaign floating around the county, which is going to help us get ready for the Hurricane season. It’s called "72 is on You". The Baldwin County Commission, the Baldwin County District Attorney and the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency have partnered together to execute this emergency preparedness campaign and it will educate us on how to be prepared for up to 72 hours after a disaster. Residents in the county should be prepared to feed and cloth themselves up to 72 hours after a major storm or some kind of disaster as this is the amount of time it takes local and state emergency agencies to assess the disaster area and move into to help. These kind of lists have been passed around many times at my church and are very helpful in giving families an idea of what is really needed during an emergency. It includes food, water, first aid, clothing and anything else that would help families to keep calm. There is also information on how to protect ourselves from hurricane related crimes. We sometimes forget all that is involved in preparing ourselves and protecting ourselves for any emergency that comes our way and reminders from professionals can help us to keep our heads.

Also to add to our knowledge of emergencies is the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency offering Community Emergency Response Team Training Courses for educating individuals on how to care for themselves and their neighbors in the aftermath of a major disaster before the first responders come. This not only helps our own family but our neighborhood as well.

All these opportunities help us to be prepared. It is always good to be prepared. When we are prepared, we do not fear the future. We can be calm in the face of the storm. We can live with the comfort of knowing what ever happens to us; we can deal with it.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is the author of two books, “Home Is Where The Heart Is, A look at strengthening the American Family,” and her latest book, “Home Is Where The Learning Is” (www.amazon.com/gp/product/1403379637). Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.stengthenyourhome.com.