PREP is a Program to Enhance the Preparedness of People in the Madison, Wisconsin Region

The UW Health Emergency Medical Services program, the City of Madison Fire Department, and the Badger Chapter of the Red Cross have teamed up as PREP: The People Responding to Emergencies Program. PREP wants to help keep you, your family, your neighbors, and your co-workers safe in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Every month, beginning in October 2005 and continuing through September 2006, PREP will focus on a different way you can prepare to keep your household safe. Look for PREP messages in the news, and return to this site every month for new information.

You can also begin putting together your Household Survival Kit by clicking on the link above. It may seem overwhelming to do it all at once, but if you just add a few items every month, you’ll soon have a well-stocked kit to help you get through any emergency. PREP is not trying to sell you anything. It is simply information that you can use to make an emergency plan and a survival kit that are right for your family, your neighborhood, and your budget.

In August 2005—before the Stoughton tornado and before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita—PREP surveyed Madison residents about their emergency preparedness. The survey showed that most people had never made a household emergency plan, and the people who had a plan had never practiced it with their families. Most people did not have a survival kit that included a flashlight—with batteries!—first aid supplies, and enough food and water for three days. A year from now, PREP hopes to find that almost all Madison residents have an emergency plan and a survival kit.The Madison area may not see a lot of hurricanes, but we do have to be prepared for fires, tornadoes, severe windstorms, and flooding, as well as power outages (electricity and furnaces), temporary contamination of the water supply, and chemical spills from factories, trucks, or trains. We always hope for the best, but it’s smart to prepare for the worst.

Our Partners:

Last Updated May 22, 2006
Website design created by Tim Hewitt