September is National Preparedness Month, and this week’s focus is Multicultural Preparedness. In the event of a disaster, individuals must pull together, combine resources, and assist one another to ensure safety and security for all. Because we live in such a diverse society, communication barriers or cultural variations may create obstacles during this process. To alleviate potential problems that may occur during and following a crisis, encourage your Fire Corps teams to use the information below to better educate themselves, the community, and fire/ EMS personnel on preparing for unexpected situations. For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit the Fire Corps web site at www.firecorps.org.

Fire Corps Citizen Brochure in Spanish
Fire Corps has created a Spanish-language version of its Citizen Brochure to encourage Spanish-speaking community members to participate in Fire Corps. This brochure explains the Fire Corps program and outlines how community members can help their local fire/EMS departments by fulfilling non-emergency roles. The Spanish-language brochure can be ordered free of charge by contacting Fire Corps at 1-888-FC-INFO1 (324-6361) or at info@firecorps.org.

Home Safety Council (HSC) – “Ready to Stay” & “Ready to Go” Checklist in Spanish
Brought to you by the Home Safety Council (HSC), this checklist offers Spanish-speaking families information about materials they may need during an emergency and provides general procedures about what to do during these unexpected situations. Additional Spanish-language resources can be found on the HSC’s web site at www.homesafetycouncil.org.

United States Fire Administration (USFA) – USFA Para Los Ciudadanos
The USFA has worked to educate the nation’s Spanish-speaking population about fire safety. This link covers a variety of topics such as dorm life, electrical fires, kitchen safety, carbon monoxide, and coping after a fire.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
This site provides comprehensive information, resources, and programs relating to health and safety topics and emergency situations. Information can be viewed in a variety of languages, including Spanish, German, French, Korean, and more.

PandemicFlu.gov - Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has identified situations that could be caused by a severe influenza pandemic and possible ways to address them. A checklist and family health information sheet have been prepared in a variety of languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and more, to help guide planning and preparation.

United States Environmental Protection Agency – Preparedness in Spanish
This site provides Spanish-speaking populations with preparedness information pertaining to various subjects such as floods, hurricanes, snow/ice storms and more.