As the calendar turns to September, Fort Worth steps forward in recognition of National Preparedness Month, an initiative supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This year's focus points to enhancing emergency readiness within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, a move that aligns with FEMA's campaign to involve and empower these often underrepresented groups.
The Fort Worth Fire Department's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is taking concrete steps to bolster its disaster preparedness strategy. Measures to directly reach out to the community were outlined in the City of Fort Worth, including the distribution of KnowWhat2Do educational materials in multiple languages and teaming up with local school districts for greater engagement and cultural competency. These steps are designed to ensure that readiness information is not just available, but accessible to everyone, "regardless of language or cultural background."
An extension of these efforts is the active partnership with local leaders and community organizations, a strategy that recognizes the crucial role these individuals and groups play during times of crisis. Such collaboration is viewed as essential for addressing the unique challenges faced by the AANHPI communities and others.
Another highlighted initiative is the Community Connect program, which aims to collect critical details about households, including residence type, emergency contacts, potential hazards, and household members who may need extra assistance during emergencies due to physical or mental disabilities. Recognizing the importance of pets in family preparedness, the program also makes provision to include their details. This tool is part of Fort Worth's plan to ensure that when disasters strike, "no one is left behind" in the response and recovery processes.
