PATIENT EDUCATION WEEK

National Emergency Preparedness Education Week For Kidney Patients
September 13-19, 2009

The week of September 13-19, 2009 has been designated as the time for education and emergency preparedness for all patients requiring renal replacement therapy. All dialysis and transplant facilities across the United States will prepare each patient for the unexpected.

• Color poster
• Faxblast

Disasterville - Volume 5, August 2009

The new issue of "WELCOME TO DISASTERVILLE" has been posted to the KCER website.

September is National Preparedness Month.

Ready is a national public service campaign sponsored by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency in partnership with The Advertising Council. The Campaign educates and empowers Americans to prepare for, and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.

The Campaign’s goal is to get Americans involved and ultimately increase our nation’s level of preparedness. Emergencies can range from inconvenient to devastating. But taking some simple preparedness steps in advance can minimize their impact your life.

Being Ready includes: getting an Emergency Supply Kit; making a Family Emergency Plan; being Informed about emergencies and their appropriate responses; and getting Involved in community efforts

Read the newest copy of Disasterville for a list of conferences and meetings where you can stop by the KCER exhibit for more information.

NOW’S THE TIME: THE READY CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO RESOLVE TO BE READY IN 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the new year approaching, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign is reminding Americans to Resolve to be Ready in 2009. Resolve to be Ready is a nationwide effort designed to encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the new year.

“Individual planning is the cornerstone of emergency preparedness,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Since establishing this department and Ready, we have come a long way in raising the baseline of preparedness in this country, but we still have a long way to go. As 2009 approaches, I urge all Americans to consider the importance – and real value – of being prepared for all hazards.”

Being Ready for emergencies can be an easy new year’s resolution to keep by following the Ready Campaign’s three simple steps: 1) Get an emergency supply kit; 2) Make a family emergency plan; and 3) Be informed about the types of emergencies that can happen in your area and their appropriate responses.

By taking these three steps – in particular having an emergency supply kit both at home and in the car – Americans will be prepared for winter mainstays like power outages and icy roads. Each of these kits should include basic necessities such as water, food and first aid supplies to help you survive if you are without power or become stranded in your vehicle. Complete checklists for each kit are available at http://www.ready.gov/.

This year, the Ready Campaign is employing new media strategies to promote emergency preparedness. By using Twitter, a social networking tool, Ready hopes to not only reach new audiences, but also to open the lines of communication with the public, ensuring emergency preparedness is top of mind year-round. Twitter users can stay up-to-date on the latest Ready activities by following their username, “ReadydotGov,” on Twitter.

By making the decision to Resolve to be Ready in 2009 and following the simple preparedness steps in advance, Americans will minimize the impact of emergencies on themselves, their family and their businesses. By visiting http://www.ready.gov/ or calling 1-800-BE-READY, individuals can access free materials that will help them make and keep a new year’s resolution that will bring their families peace of mind.

February 2008 marked the Ready Campaign's fifth year at the Department of Homeland Security. Launched in 2003 in partnership with The Advertising Council, Ready is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. It has proven to be one of the most successful campaigns in Ad Council's more than 65-year history. Since its launch, the campaign has generated more than $756.5 million in donated media support. Individuals interested in more information about family, business and community preparedness can visit http://www.ready.gov/.

National Preparedness Month

The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition is a proud member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition.

September is National Preparedness Month and we would like to use this time to educate ESRD Networks about the tools and resources available through the KCER Coalition.

This is also a chance for Networks to collaborate and share resources they have developed for disaster preparedness. Special thanks to the Networks that shared their resources for this activity.

Please feel free to distribute these to your dialysis and transplant facilities, patients, staff, and other key stakeholders.

KCER is always available to help answer your disaster preparedness and response questions or concerns. Our volunteers are knowledgeable and dedicated to providing quality care to the kidney community.

You can also find more information about National Preparedness Month at www.ready.gov.

Additionally, the KCER Coalition continues to communicate and collaborate with ESRD Networks and stakeholders in response to Hurricane Ike's impact on Texas and Louisiana.

www.kcercoalition.com