Arizona is susceptible to an array of natural disasters and emergencies.  And while some pose a more immediate threat to life and property in The Grand Canyon State, it is in the best interest of individuals, families and entire communities to take precautions.

Emergencies do not take rain checks and seldom make appointments.  And even when an imminent threat is detected, who among us can truly say that they’re ready for any situation.  Fortunately, getting prepared for all manner of emergencies and disasters is easy and can be acheived in three simple steps:

1.)   Prepare a Plan that accounts for evacuations, sheltering in place, and the special needs of pets, the elderly and infants;

2.)   Make a Kit that addresses the survival essentials of fresh water, food, clean air and warmth, and includes financial and insurance papers, medication and credentials; and

3.)   Be informed by listening to the radio, watching television, reading newspapers and surfing the Internet (e.g., Ready.gov and justincasearizona.com) to learn about the diversity of emergencies and disasters, including:

Biological Threat	Carbon Monoxide	Chemical Threat	Disease	Dust Storm
Earthquake	Explosions	Extreme Heat	Fires	Flooding
Landslides	Nuclear Threat	Pandemic	Power Outage	Radiation
Terrorism	Thunderstorms	Tornadoes	Wildfires	Winter Storms

The Arizona Emergency Information Network (AzEIN) is helping “to reduce the impact of disaster on persons and property” later by encouraging Arizonians to get ready now.

This collection of Arizona Hazards abstracts is a good place to start your research into the subject of emergency preparedness.  While they are not the sum total of information on the topic, think of them as a springboard to further exploration.