Being prepared for emergencies is crucial at home, school, work and in your community. Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood, workplace or school or can confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services – water, gas, electricity or telephones – were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. The best way to make you and your family safer is to be prepared before disaster strikes. Please click on the “Be Red Cross Ready” to take our online tutorial. We encourage you to:
	Get a Kit Build a disaster supplies kit that includes enough supplies for each family member for three days. Remember to check your kit every six months.
	Make a Plan Make a family communications plan that includes an evacuation plan and coordinates with your school, work and community communication plans. Practice this plan with your entire family.
	Be Informed Know what may happen and how you can help Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play and how they can affect you, your family and community. Identify how authorities will notify you and how you will get important information. Learn first aid, CPR and disaster training Share what you have learned

Preparing and getting trained. Follow these steps to volunteer with the American Red Cross:

1. Look at the Guidebook for Student Nurse Involvement
   • Locate Disaster Preparedness
2. Contact your local Red Cross unit
   • You can find the phone number by typing in your zip code in the zip code finder on this page . http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=46de1a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
   • This will give you the phone number of the Red Cross office closest to where you live.
3. Speak to the Volunteer Coordinator
   • Set up a time to visit the Red Cross and discuss your interests.

   Check out the National Student Nurses’ Association, Inc.
   Guidelines for establishing and implementing: Disaster Preparedness, Recovery, and Relief Projects. Click on this link:
   http://www.nsna.org/Portals/0/Skins/NSNA/pdf/Disaster_Guidelines.pdf

   2010 National Health Observances:
   http://www.healthfinder.gov/nho/nhoyear.asp?year=2010

   I would love to know what you are doing in your community! Let me know what you are doing and send me pictures! Please email me at communityhealthdirector@cnsa.org.

   Community Health Forum

   GOALS 2009-2010

   • Implement the 2010 statewide Community Health Project
     • Disaster Preparedness- Get involved in the Be Red Cross Ready Campaign.
     • Encourage all CNSA Members to complete the National Incident Management System (NIMS) 100, 200, 700a certifications, which is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp
     • Bring your certificates of completion for these three courses (above) to NSNA® Registration at the 2010 Annual Convention and receive your NIMS Certified ribbon.
   • Update the CNSA Community Health website page
     • CNSA Community Page has been recently updated~ http://www.cnsa.org/resources/cnsa-state-community-health-project/
     • Check out the Community Health Forum-Please comment and tell me what your chapter is doing in your school and community or even ask questions to me or your fellow members about how to get involved in community service activities
   • Promote the NSNA Community Health Award
     • Chapter Submission is due to National by March 19, 2010. The chapter who wins this reward will receive a certificate and $100
   • Support and assist chapters in their participation in the Community Health Project.
   • Promote Community Health Fundraiser
     • Let Your $Change Be The Change In The World
     • Goal is to raise $1000.00 for a Haiti organization by October 2010