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For many in the Indo-Pacom region, September brings about somber recollections of natural calamities. From the recent wildfires that ravaged Maui to frequent earthquakes shaking the island nation, Japan has had its fair share of reminders. The gravity of this reality hits home as our host nation memorializes the 100th anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake. This catastrophe forever changed the landscape of emergency response in Japan. For Sailors and families stationed at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), these unsettling anniversaries and recent events reinforce the message: It’s not a matter of if an emergency will happen, but when.
The driving force behind CFAY’s emergency preparedness measures is Mike Main, CFAY emergency management officer, who is championing the 2023 National Preparedness Month ‘Ready’ Campaign at CFAY.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched the Ready Campaign in February of 2003 as a National public service campaign designed to educate and empower the American people to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. The overall goal of the campaign is to promote preparedness through public involvement. The Ready Campaign’s 2023 National Preparedness Month theme is “Take Control in 1, 2, 3” and focuses on preparing older adults disproportionally impacted by hazardous events.
“The initiative this year is focused on ensuring that our older adults are prepared for disasters,” said Main. “These individuals sometimes have unique challenges, such as medication or dependency on family members. So, we want to ensure they are well taken care of.”
The Ready Campaign website highlights these additional considerations, such as ensuring at least one other person from the older adult’s support network is involved in the planning and execution of their emergency plan. The individual should have an extra key to their home, know where the emergency supplies are, know the evacuation plan and transportation considerations to include assistive devices, and learn how to use needed lifesaving equipment or administer medications.
The CFAY Emergency Management Office is involved in a broad range of activities beyond the minimum emergency preparation requirements. From hands-on workshops teaching basic first aid and typhoon preparedness to community-based drills simulating natural disaster scenarios, CFAY takes a more interactive approach to ensure the community is ready for anything.
The Emergency Management Office is intensively preparing throughout National Preparedness Month and year-round through training exercises, outreach events, and continually strengthening partnerships with many other agencies that support its mission. Main adds, “Here on CFAY, we work with the American Red Cross, FFSC, and our Public Affairs Office to ensure preparedness messaging is shared with the community and tenant commands. We run annual exercises like Typhoon Ready and Reliant Gale to ensure everyone is practicing their emergency checklists and remains ready for an emergency situation.”Main wants everyone in the community to be aware that resources including checklists and instructions for building an emergency supply kit and outlining emergency plans can be found at www.ready.gov, a site where Navy personnel and their families are strongly encouraged to consult to strengthen their emergency plans at home and work.
The urgency of similar efforts across the Navy was underscored by a Navy family emergency readiness survey conducted by CNIC public affairs in August 2021. The analysis revealed significant gaps in preparedness: only 35% of respondents had a family emergency kit with three days’ worth of essential supplies. During the virtual discussion, family members cited the cost of gathering necessary emergency supplies and the inconvenience of replacing expired items as significant barriers.
CFAY Emergency Management Specialist Reggie Toledo knows the devastation natural disasters can cause and the need for emergency supplies. “I’ve seen the effects of disasters in Guam. That’s why having at least three days of supplies is essential. Being on an island, it may take more time to get supplies. It took a month for supplies to get to Guam after Typhoon Mawar.”
When preparing your emergency kit, consider looking around your home for extra essentials such as spare batteries and flashlights. Next, check your pantry for prepackaged dry goods, nonperishable items, and bottled water that can sustain your emergency kit for extended periods. Remember that you don’t have to get all your supplies at once. Clipping coupons, watching for deals, and taking advantage of buy-one-get-one sales can help you build your emergency kit at more affordable rates.
Additionally, the Navy family emergency readiness survey highlighted that only 37% of respondents had a family emergency plan, and only 30% knew how to sign up for the installation’s Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN) for emergency alerts. Furthermore, most respondents were unfamiliar with the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) or Emergency Family Assistance Centers (EFAC), illustrating the need for more comprehensive communication efforts.
CFAY Emergency Management utilizes multiple types of WAAN that community members can utilize to stay informed during emergencies. The first is a voice announcing system using exterior speakers spread across the installation, commonly called “Giant Voice.” The other alert networks they utilize is the computer desktop network system (CDNS), which can push alerts to Navy computer networks. In contrast, the automated telephone network system (ATNS) can push alerts through telephones, email, or text messages. Community members can register to receive these push alerts by visiting and following instructions on the CFAY Emergency Management webpage.
In addition, CFAY uses social media and Armed Forces Network (AFN) broadcasts to keep the community informed. “To ensure effective communication during emergencies, we leverage Giant Voice, CDNS, CFAY social media, the Base Command TV Channel 17-4, and the main base marque. Additionally, AFN 810AM ‘The Eagle’ broadcasts updates in certain emergencies, so it’s good to keep an AM radio in your emergency kit in case we lose electricity for any reason,” highlighted Randall Baucom, CFAY public affairs officer.
The Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) is an online platform that standardizes a method for the Navy to account for, assess, and monitor the recovery process for personnel and their families affected by disasters or emergencies. The Navy recommends all Navy personnel and their families register with and continually update their NFAAS online with the most current contact information they have available. This allows Sailors and personnel to ‘muster’ their families and confirm whether they’re safe and accounted for when disaster strikes.
Another resource available to Navy families when a crisis impacts their installation is the Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC), set up by the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) when needed. It is a one-stop-shop resource and information hub where families can gather during and after a crisis for the latest information, legal support, counseling resources, financial support, and more. During times of crisis, EFAC information is shared on local installation and FFSC social media channels. Community members can also call their local FFSC to verify EFAC availability during times of crisis.
As National Preparedness Month unfolds, the month-long awareness campaign is a critical reminder to evaluate the effectiveness of installation and individual preparedness strategies. It serves as the annual reminder to check our emergency kits, verify our emergency plans, and verify lines of communication and information. Many people may never think of doing these things because they have not been through an emergency, so it’s important to remind ourselves that it can happen at any time.
“The biggest challenge with preparedness is ensuring the messaging is getting out far and wide and everyone is buying into the message,” said Main. “Most people have not been through a major event that has required them to exercise their emergency plans. It results in general complacency—not that I want people to go through a disaster. But COVID-19 did re-emphasize the importance of being prepared for emergencies and expect the unexpected.”
Main believes the pandemic highlighted how swiftly conditions can change and is keenly aware of the need for a proactive approach. As COVID-19 is still fresh in people’s minds, he underscores that preparedness isn’t just an individual endeavor but a collective one, impacting the community as a whole.
“Community preparedness is key to being ready for any type of disaster that may occur here at CFAY,” said Main. “The ability to take care of yourself and your family in the initial stages of an event allows first responders and emergency services personnel to focus on restoring key community lifelines and helping those unable to support themselves while we wait for additional support to arrive on base. An effective plan is easily understood, frequently reviewed and updated, and practiced by all family members, ensuring everyone knows what to do. More information on creating and building a plan, along with templates, can be found on the Ready.gov website.”
As Main offered the audience tips on emergency preparedness at a recent CFAY Town Hall, he shared that the Emergency Management Office’s goal is to continue to help the community to remain a resilient linchpin for the U.S. Navy overseas and families stationed there, primed to confront any challenge.
“Preparedness builds resilience within the community, allowing it to recover and bounce back more quickly following a major event,” said Main. “Preparedness begins at home with our Sailors and families and requires everyone to do their part to be ready for any emergencies on base!”
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.29.2024 02:40 |
| Story ID: | 462585 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CFAY Embraces National Preparedness Month, by Garrett Cole, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
