Letter from East Tennessee Executive Director, Michelle Hankes - September 2016

September is National Preparedness Month. Yes, every month has some kind of title these days and every day is some kind of holiday (I'm partial to National Donut Day), but let's take this preparedness thing seriously.

Depending upon the study you read, being prepared for an emergency, disaster or other crisis will save you anywhere from $7 to $150 per dollar spent. For example, if you are prepared with a first aid kit and the knowledge of how to use it, what would it save you in medical bills? If you had a good disaster kit that allowed you to shelter in place instead of needing to find alternative shelter, how much would you save on extra expenses?

Some costs can't be figured. If you have a working smoke alarm, how much would you save if everyone got out safely? That kind of economics is priceless.

There are many ways for you to "celebrate" Preparedness Month: take a class, make a kit, download an app, tell someone about any of these things. No matter which you choose to do, being prepared can make a huge difference when you least expect it!

Michelle Hankes