Editor’s note: This article is courtesy of the Morristown congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which organized an emergency preparedness fair last weekend at Headquarters Plaza.
Fair Helps Residents Prepare for Disasters
Morristown, NJ – Have an emergency plan. Don’t wait. Be prepared. Community members received this advice and more at the second annual Emergency Preparedness Fair, organized by the Morristown congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Morristown Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
While at the Fair, held Saturday, September 20 at Headquarters Plaza in Morristown, families learned about 72-hour kits, emergency preparedness for their pets, and how to create a fire escape plan for their homes.
The Fair began with an opening ceremony during which Rowena Madden, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism, addressed the volunteers.
Then, under blue skies, Fair attendees visited booths sponsored by local government and service agencies, including the Morristown Police and Fire departments, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), and the American Red Cross.
Local businesses, like Get Out Safe and Trees Plus, were on hand with emergency preparedness products and tips.
Government agencies emphasized the importance of planning ahead. The Morristown Fire Department encouraged families to create an escape plan and to choose a meeting place in case of a house fire.
FEMA strongly advised people to be prepared for any kind of unexpected event and recommended all families visit www.ready.gov to better prepare for emergencies.
Local businesses also stressed the importance of preparation before the emergency.
“The best advice I can give is don’t wait for the storm,” stated Vincent Amato from Hanover Powersports, a seller of outdoor power equipment. “If you wait, you may not be able to get what you need.”
The idea for the Fair arose after Hurricanes Irene and Sandy as a way to help in case of future disasters.
“We are a preparation-minded church,” explained Leah McBride, a member of the Church who led the organization of the Fair. “After the last two storms, we have been focusing on how to help the community be better prepared for future events.”
In addition to learning about preparedness, Fair attendees also were able to donate food for the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris County and Saint Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. Baked goods and other food items were also sold, with proceeds benefiting the Jersey Battered Women’s Service and The Seeing Eye.
“We are very excited about this event and the attendance of local residents,” stated Bishop William H. Ludlam, leader of the Church congregation in Morristown.
“We hope this Fair helps the community prepare for unanticipated events. We greatly appreciate the support of local civic and service leaders and the organizations that participated today.”
The Fair was also part of a broader Day of Service sponsored by the Church. More than 100 congregations in the tri-state area participated in service projects in their communities, often partnered with local government, religious, and non-profit organizations.
Some of the other regional service projects performed by members of the Church included repairing local churches that house the homeless with the Family Promise program in Summit and restoring a Japanese Garden at Duke Farms.
