City of Ventura encourages residents to prepare for the next emergency

Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Stay Informed

The City of Ventura joins the Ready Campaign during National Preparedness Month, an annual opportunity for families and communities to take a proactive approach in personal preparedness.

“Often, friends, and neighbors will be the first ones to take action after a disaster strikes and before first responders arrive,” said Mayor Sofia Rubalcava. “All groups in our community have a responsibility to be prepared. This includes our families, friends, schools, businesses, and community stakeholders.”

The 2021 theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” The national Ready Campaign offers a weekly focus and resources on various elements of preparedness, including financial preparedness, making a family emergency plan, building a go-kit, and teaching youth.

“National Preparedness Month is the good reminder for residents to think about emergency risks in Ventura and take meaningful action to ensure that their families and neighborhoods are disaster ready,” said Daniel Wall, Emergency Services Manager for the City of Ventura. “Taking steps to prepare now improves our ability to react, respond, and recover whenever and wherever a disaster occurs.”

The City of Ventura urges everyone to take three important action steps to get prepared:

Make a Plan: Talk with members of your household about what to do during emergencies. Plan what to do in case of separation and choose a two meeting places- one right outside your home in case of a sudden home emergency like a fire, and another outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.

Build a Kit: Assemble an easy-to-carry preparedness kit complete with water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, extra batteries, phone chargers, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, and medications.

Stay Informed: Register for VC Alert, Ventura County’s Emergency Notification System. Call, text, or email to sign-up. Learn more at www.VCAlert.org.

During the month of September, the community is invited to join the City’s Office of Emergency Services at an upcoming Neighborhood Community Council meeting to learn different aspects of preparedness for individuals, families, and communities.

College Area Community Council: Wednesday, August 25, at 7:00 pm.

Westside Community Council: Wednesday, September 1, at 6:30 p.m.

Midtown Community Council: Thursday, September 9, at 7:00 p.m.

East Ventura Community Council: Thursday, September 16, at 7:00 p.m.

Pierpont Bay Community Council: Tuesday, September 21, at 7:00 p.m.

Downtown Ventura Partners: Thursday, September 22, at 8:30 a.m.

For more disaster preparedness information, visit www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/EmergencyPreparedness or

www.ReadyVenturaCounty.org.