RICHMOND, Virginia –
September is National Preparedness Month and Defense Logistics Agency Installation Support at Richmond conducted a National Preparedness Fair Sept. 22, at the Frank B. Lotts Conference Center on Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Virginia.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency states knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency is a critical part of being prepared and can make all the difference when seconds count.
This year the campaign encourages employees to take action now and make a plan to stay safe and communicate during any disaster that could affect their community, family, or pets.
Throughout the month, DLA Installation Support at Richmond provided employees with needed information and resources via DLA Today’s news articles focused on how to prepare for disasters, with Police Dog McGruff walking through buildings to talk with employees about crime prevention, and with a seminar for employees called “Ask a Security Professional” promoting awareness and developing relationships and partnerships between the installation’s Security and Emergency Services personnel and the Defense Supply Center Richmond community.
James Tanner, a safety specialist in DLA Installation Support at Richmond’s Safety and Occupational Health Office, was on-hand at the fair to remind employees part of being prepared is being able to recognized and prevent workplace hazards and knowing how to safely work at the computer; avoiding health risks created by sitting too long without a break. Tanner provided informational brochures on those topics to employees stopping by his booth during the fair.
Other fair participants included Bellwood Credit Union representatives who provided information on important documents to have as part of financial planning preparedness; DSCR’s firefighters provided a display on house hazards and simulated fire extinguisher training; Chesterfield Country police officers provided employees with information on the Yellow Dot Program, that provides life-saving information on drivers to emergency responders during accidents.
Layne Marino, DLA Intelligence at Richmond’s operations and information security program manager, displayed checklists for online security to different social platforms and will provide electronic copies to employees if they email him at Lawrence.Marino@dla.mil.
Thomas Reinard, DLA Installation Support at Richmond’s chief of Security and Emergency Services, was well pleased with the increased attendance at the fair and praised Matthew Ameden, the installation’s emergency manager, for organizing it.
Reinard urged employees to prepare ahead of emergencies and disasters, saying the time to prepare is now, not later.
Employees can access preparedness resources through FEMA’s website and also on the installation’s Security and Emergency Services Elknet website.