August 28, 2016
Over the past 10 months, Philadelphia has hosted a pope and a presidential convention. Add to that many more months prior of planning for Pope Francis’s visit and the Democratic National Convention.
You would think the Office of Emergency Management would slow down, maybe take a break in September.
But, September is National Preparedness Month and disasters and emergencies are not scheduled monthly. This means we stay on our toes. We practice and prepare.
On Saturday, September 17th, the City will test our Mass Care and Shelter plan in what we’re calling Operation SheltEx, or #OpSheltEx for those social media minded. The goal is to establish multiple no notice evacuation shelters for a simulated emergency. The Mass Care and Shelter plan ensures Philadelphia residents evacuated due to emergencies such as a large apartment fire or a hurricane, have a safe and supportive place to stay during the emergency.
An exercise of this magnitude will require the support of multiple City agencies such as the School District, Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Animal Care and Control Team; as well as integral non-profit partners such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, Red Paw, and CART.
Just as our office needs YOU to be informed and prepared year round, we need YOU for this exercise.
We are looking for members of the public to participate in the exercise from 9:30 a.m to 2 p.m on September 17th.
This is a perfect opportunity for those interested in emergency management, public safety or those who simply want to be informed community members to come out, participate, and give feedback to the City.
ALL are welcome and encouraged to participate, even your furry friends.
For more information or to register, visit the exercise website.
Thanks for your time and helping to make Philadelphia a prepared and resilient city!
A simple yet essential way to be prepared is to stay informed. Get emergency alerts from OEM’s ReadyPhiladelphia program sent to your phone or email to keep you informed prior to and during an emergency.