Mayor's office provides tips, training for emergency preparedness
September is Emergency Preparedness Month, and the Mayor's office is taking the opportunity to help every Boston resident to be ready in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. Beginning on September 1, the City of Boston's web site will offer a helpful hint each day and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has scheduled live and on-line training presentations throughout the month as well as an on-line course that residents can take at their convenience. With predictions of significant changes to coastal shorelines and weather patterns as a result of climate change and the 2013 Marathon bombing's grim reminder that violent tragedies can strike anywhere, the Walsh administration is taking steps to make sure residents as well as first responders can plan for and react to disasters appropriately.
This intention was evident at the Mayor's coffee hour in Ringgold Park in May, where OEM staff was on hand to answer questions and distribute disaster-readiness literature and wireless combination radio-flashlights.
According to Christina Maryland, director of communications and external affairs for OEM, Walsh has directed OEM to increase its presence in the community to promote preparedness. Maryland said in an e-mail, "OEM received accreditation from the Emergency Management Accreditation Program and based on this, Mayor Walsh is confident in the City's ability to quickly and efficiently respond to any emergency. He now wants to ensure that citizens of Boston are equally prepared to face any contingency."
Maryland pointed out that Boston's vulnerability to flooding is increasing due to sea level rise, more frequent and powerful storms, and heavier rainfalls. "Bostonians must be prepared for the threats we are facing today, but we must also all be thinking about our longer-term impacts and what actions we can take now to prepare for the hazards of the future," she observed. She reported that the Mayor's office is coordinating outreach to residents, businesses and property owners to educate them on disaster readiness. The administration has enlisted the Boston Harbor Association, Climate Action Liaisons Coalition, A Better City, the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing and the Boston Society of Architects in this effort. In addition to the live workshops "Emergency Response and Recovery Panel: Coming Together to Keep Boston Strong", on September 25 at 6:00 PM at the Stephen M. Lawlor Medical Intelligence Center, 785 Albany Street and the "OEM Emergency Preparedness Fair" on September 27 at 10:00 AM at the Tobin Community Center, 1481 Tremont Street in Roxbury, there will be a Twitter chat titled "Preparing Your Home" on September 16 at 1:00 PM (#readybos).
Multi-media exhibits are also included in the disaster-education campaign. Maryland noted that the city sponsored a youth art installation on climate awareness in East Boston, and earlier this year, a one-day symposium and two month long exhibition called Sea Change: Boston were held at District Hall, 75 Northern Avenue in the Innovation District examining Boston's vulnerability to rising sea levels and the possibility of a massively destructive storm as well as design strategies to prepare for these events. The city sponsored Sea Change: Boston in partnership with Boston Architectural College, the Boston Harbor Association and curator Sasaki Associates. Those wishing to view Sea Change: Boston on-line may visit http://www.sasaki.com/project/360/sea-change-boston/ for an explanation of the exhibit, an on-line slide show and an interactive map of potential flooding scenarios. Maryland explained, "Climate preparedness will be a primary focus of the 2014 Climate Action Plan Update, which has included a robust community engagement process throughout the year. The plan will be available for comment in the coming months."
Daily disaster tips throughout September can be viewed at www.boston.gov/readyboston. To take the city's Community Preparedness Basics course, visit https://delvalle.bphc.org/readysafehealthy .