You know what they say around here — if you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes.
It’s no doubt that Kentucky’s weather is often unpredictable, but that shouldn’t mean you should stay in the dark when it comes to preparedness. Luckily, our Department of Emergency Management’s (DEM) website, Be Ready Lexington, has nearly every resource you could think of — from emergency kits for your car to pet preparedness plans. That means having a built-in plan in place during erratic weather and other citywide disasters is as simple as a few clicks.
What is Be Ready?
Be Ready is a one-stop shop, curated by the DEM, to ensure every citizen is equipped with knowledge + resources for any type of event. It operates on a four-phase approach when handling emergency weather:
- Preparation: Staff is equipped with the knowledge + tools to respond to specific incidents
- Response: Staff is trained to handle emergencies before, during, and after an event
- Recovery: Staff is prepared to getting Lexington stable after an emergency
- Mitigation: Staff takes physical or legal measures to reduce impact before the next disaster
Making a plan
Along with outlining how it handles hazardous weather, the department’s website also provides tools and educational resources to help you plan for emergencies, no matter your particular situation. There are guides for:
- Those with or who are caretakers of people with disabilities
- Seniors
- Equine safety
- Farm preparation
- Pet preparation
- Shelter-in-place plans
Build a kit
While we think of water, food, and shelter as the pillars of emergency preparedness, Be Ready also provides guides for the often over-looked items, such as important documents, medications, phone chargers, spare clothes, and weather radios.
Other ways to stay informed
Staying aware is perhaps the most critical part of preparing for emergency weather. Luckily, the website makes it easy to stay updated and informed in the form of:
- LEXALERTS notification system
- Details about outdoor sirens, including what they mean and how you should respond to them
- Educational resources, like knowing the difference between watches and warnings
- The Be Ready Lexington app