The City of Renton will mark National Preparedness Month in September by focusing on communication and helping residents to stay informed before, during and after a disaster.

In kicking off this year’s “Ready in Renton” emergency preparedness campaign, Mayor Denis Law urged Renton residents and businesses to take action now to be informed and prepared.

“The thought of being caught in an earthquake, flood, winter storm or other emergency can be very frightening and if we aren’t prepared the results can be devastating,” said Law. “That’s why I am asking everyone in Renton to take personal responsibility and be prepared for any kind of emergency.”

Next month, the city will unveil neighborhood information centers established in partnership with the Renton School District.

Under disaster conditions when normal communication methods are disrupted, important information such as shelter locations, food and water distribution points or evacuation routes can be posted at these information centers by trained volunteers.

Residents are encouraged to look for an information board at the main entrance of all public schools in the Renton School District within the city limits.  A map of school locations with neighborhood information centers can be found at rentonwa.gov.

“Communication is always important,” said Deborah Needham, Emergency Management director. “However, during a disaster, lives depend on it.”

Another new feature of this year’s campaign is the use of social media.  The City of Renton Emergency Management Division will use its Facebook and Twitter accounts.  Residents are being asked to follow RentonEM on Facebook and use the hash tag #readyinrenton on Twitter during September to share tips and stories about what they are doing to be better prepared for emergencies.

Here are some easy things residents can do to be ready to receive important information during an emergency or disaster:

• Locate the nearest neighborhood information center and store a map showing its location with a household emergency kit.

• Register with CodeRED, the automated telephone warning system used in some emergencies. Sign up at rentonwa.gov.

• Bookmark the Critical Emergency Information page at rentonwa.gov for up-to-date emergency information on Renton roads, utilities, shelters, etc.

• Subscribe to the free e-Alert service at rentonwa.gov to receive urgent automated emails and text messages for your specific areas of interest, including updates to the Critical Emergency Information web page.

• Place a NOAA Weather Radio in your home and office to sound an alarm when severe weather or Emergency Alert System messages are issued. Look for one with the Public Alert logo and the Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) feature.

The City of Renton also urges residents and businesses to make a plan:

• Know how to safely evacuate your home and neighborhood if needed.

• Establish an out-of-area contact to serve as a message board for family members.

• Find out how you will get information in an emergency.

And build a kit:

• Three days of non-perishable food.

• One gallon of water per person per day.

• Flashlight, whistle, first aid kit, medications and a battery-operated radio.

For more information about the Ready in Renton campaign or to learn more about emergency preparedness, call the City of Renton’s Emergency Management Division at 425-430-7000 or email em@rentonwa.gov.