1Designating the month of September 2014 as "Emergency
2Preparedness Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Each year, disaster strikes communities across the
4world, causing individuals to flee their homes, often with very
5little advance warning; and

6WHEREAS, Each year thousands of Americans, may of whom are
7elderly and infirm, are displaced by disasters; and

8WHEREAS, Each year, the President of the United States
9proclaims September as "National Emergency Preparedness Month"
10to stress the importance of strengthening the security and
11resiliency of the nation through systematic preparation for the
12full range of hazards threatening the United States in the 21st
13century, including natural disasters, cyber attacks, pandemic

1disease and acts of terrorism; and

2WHEREAS, Each year, this Commonwealth and its communities
3participate and observe September as Emergency Preparedness
4Month to ensure that residents and the townships, boroughs,
5cities and counties in which they live take the steps necessary
6to be ready for any disaster, natural or manmade; and

7WHEREAS, Each year, in communities large and small, victims
8of disasters and emergencies in Pennsylvania and across the
9United States turn to neighbors, familiar and new, for help
10through the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, local fire
11departments, police departments, ambulance and paramedic
12services, military bases, hospitals, urban search and rescue
13units, wilderness search and rescue groups, canine rescue units,
14dive teams, county 911 coordinators and staff, county hazardous
15material teams, local emergency management coordinators and
16staff, county emergency management coordinators and staff,
17medevac agencies, State Police troops, Civil Air Patrols, ham
18radio operators, National Guard personnel, local fire police and
19many other paid staff and volunteers with various governmental,
20nonprofit agencies and other groups; and

21WHEREAS, Disasters come in many forms, from natural disasters
22like hurricanes, tornadoes or even manmade attacks like those of
2313 years ago that occurred on September 11, 2001; and

24WHEREAS, The Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages
25individuals to have emergency preparedness kits on hand should
26disaster strike and provides information through its website,
27www.ready.gov, to educate residents on how to prepare for
28emergencies and disasters; and

29WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency does
30its part to also assist Commonwealth residents in becoming well-

1prepared for any disaster or emergency through its website,
2www.readypa.org; and

3WHEREAS, Designating the month of September 2014 as Emergency
4Preparedness Month can help empower Commonwealth residents by
5providing information about the risks all residents can face and
6the concrete actions they can take to protect themselves, their
7families, their communities, their Commonwealth and their
8country; therefore be it

9RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
10month of September 2014 as "Emergency Preparedness Month" in
11Pennsylvania and extend its thanks to the many paid staff and
12volunteers who serve this Commonwealth and our nation through
13emergency preparedness efforts to assist and protect residents
14during any and all emergencies and disasters, natural or
15manmade; and be it further

16RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all
17residents to observe September as "Emergency Preparedness Month"
18in Pennsylvania and inform themselves by visiting the
19www.ready.gov and www.readypa.org websites and through other
20resources on how they can become fully prepared for any and all
21emergencies.