September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness
Month. Prepare. Plan. Stay informed.

September is the start of National Preparedness Month – “A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare”. 

Pierce County has plenty of fun activities planned for National Preparedness Month. 

• Check out the Pierce County Emergency Management 2011 National Preparedness Month website at  www.piercecountywa.gov/preparednessmonth

• Pledge to Prepare Challenge. We are asking residents of Pierce County to make the pledge to: build or update your disaster kit, write or update your family disaster plan, or get involved in disaster response in your community. To make your pledge visit www.piercecountywa.gov/preparednessmonth and click on the pledge form.

• Watch the 9/11 special on PCTV (channel 22/78). The show reflects on the tragedy of 9/11 and how preparedness has changed in Pierce County.
   YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKp_KKhld4A
   PC users: http://pcn110901.s3.amazonaws.com/PCN110901WS2.wmv 
   Mac users: http://pcn110901.s3.amazonaws.com/PCN110901WS2.mp4 

• Follow the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management on Facebook at www.facebook.com/piercecountydem. Each day during National Preparedness Month they will post a preparedness action step.

• Drop, Cover and Hold on Sept. 21 at 10:15 a.m. for the state-wide earthquake drill.

• Watch for the distribution of the 2012 “Who Depends on You” Emergency Preparedness Calendar. Students from Pierce County schools submitted their artwork for this year’s calendar. 

Other Resources
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention--Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross have teamed up to answer common questions and provide step-by-step guidance you can take now to protect you and your loved ones.
• Ready.gov--Check this website out for quick and easy tips on how to make an emergency kit; download easy-to-use emergency forms and family plans; and explore the section especially dedicated to children.

Download this image for quick and easy emergency preparedness tips:

Click to enlarge.

What's happening at Bates this week

Monday, Sept. 26
3:30 p.m., Pierce Countywide Coordinating Meeting, SC Auditorium

Tuesday, Sept. 27
9 a.m., Student Financial and Resource Fair, DT Auditorium

Wednesday, Sept. 28
8 a.m., WSU Childcare Train the Trainer, DT Auditorium
8 a.m., IDEAL Council and CDAC Joint Meeting, DT Clyde Hupp
4 p.m., Puget Sound Educational Service District, SC Auditorium

Thursday, Sept. 29
8 a.m., WSU Childcare Train the Trainer, DT Auditorium
3 p.m., KBTC All Staff Meeting, MC

Friday, Sept. 30
8 a.m., WSU Childcare Train the Trainer, DT Auditorium
8 a.m., FST Nugget Training (tentative date), SC Auditorium

Do you subscribe to SchoolReport.org?

Did you know Bates uses SchoolReport.org to broadcast emergency announcements online and through TV and radio?

You may have signed up at www.schoolreport.org receive these alerts by email.

Because of system changes made in early August, you will need to create a new account  to receive announcements about school closures and emergencies.

Please visit http://www.schoolreport.org/ to create your account. The process is quick, free, and your email address will not be shared with anyone.

SchoolReport.org is an emergency alert system for school districts, colleges and private schools in the greater Puget Sound region. For more information, visit http://www.schoolreport.org/.

Sign up for a free rain garden workshop

A rain garden in Puyallup.

A free workshop is scheduled for Sept. 17 at Frontier Park in Graham to show residents how to install rain gardens.

A rain garden is a shallow depression with special soil planted with flowers, shrubs, and grasses that can tolerate wet winters and dry summers. The gardens soak up rainwater from roofs, sidewalks, and driveways; filter out pollutants; reduce flooding; and replenish ground water supplies.

Pierce County is collaborating with the Pierce Conservation District Stream Team to conduct this workshop. It is part of Pierce County's effort to support the "12,000 Rain Gardens Project," a regional campaign to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound area by 2016 (http://www.12000raingardens.org/).

From 10 a.m. to noon, information about rain gardens and other simple rain infiltration techniques will be presented. From noon to 2 p.m., a permanent demonstration rain garden will be installed at Frontier Park by volunteers.

"Fall is a great time to install a rain garden in your yard," said Dawn Anderson, Pierce County low-impact development coordinator. "These gardens can soak up most of the rain we get in the Pacific Northwest, which helps reduce flooding and filter pollutants that would otherwise enter our waterways. Not only do rain gardens look amazing, they help improve water quality in Puget Sound, provide wildlife habitat, and reduce flooding."

The workshop will help Pierce County residents make simple, affordable changes to their yards for environmental and economic benefits.

To learn more about installing a rain garden in your yard or other simple retrofits that reduce polluted rainwater leaving your property, visit www.piercecountywa.org/lid.

Space is limited, so those interested should register with the Stream Team by calling 253.845.2973 or emailing streamteam @ piercecountycd.org.

What's happening at Bates the week of Sept. 19

Tuesday, Sept. 20
8 a.m., IHS-WA State Hearing Exams, DT Auditorium
9:30 a.m., Leadership Team, DT Auditorium
4:30 p.m., Forklift, SC Multimedia Room
6 p.m., Auto Parts CTI/Carquest, SC Auditorium

Wednesday, Sept. 21
10 a.m., KBTC Program Schedule Meeting, MC Conf Room
11:15 a.m., ASG General Assembly Meeting, DT Auditorium
11:30 a.m., Puget Sound Clean Air Public Meeting, DT Auditorium
4:30 p.m., Forklift, Multimedia Room
5 p.m., Boiler Written Cert. Exam, SC Multimedia Room

Thursday, Sept. 22
7:30 a.m., Pierce County Coordinating Council, DT Auditorium
8 a.m., KBTC Association Meeting, DT Clyde Hupp
9:30 a.m., KBTC Manager’s Meeting, MC Conf Room
6 p.m., Auto Parts CTI/Carquest, SC Auditorium

Saturday, Sept. 24
7 a.m., Tacoma Parents of Multiples Annual Clothing and Equipment Sale, SC Auditorium, hallway and commons area
7:30 a.m., NICET Testing, SC A318
8 a.m., Flagger, SC Multimedia Room