The message of National Preparedness Month, a government campaign each September to promote preparation for disasters and emergencies, was driven home by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and other parts of the Southeast as the month came to an end.

The sense of sympathy upon reading news accounts of the death and damage is significant here in Johnstown, where many people remember the deadly flood of 1977.

“We’ve been through it several times in this area, and so many people helped us, so we wanted to give back and help out as well,” said Stephen Bendick, chief of the Oakland Volunteer Fire Co., explaining why the fire company was collecting goods this week for Helene survivors in Asheville, North Carolina.

The response was great, Bendick said, with two pallets of water and a roomful of food, cleaning supplies and pet food being donated in the first day after an appeal was made on Facebook.

With that in mind, we call attention to the American Red Cross’ appeal for donations of blood and money, and for volunteers who can deploy for two weeks to staff shelters for survivors of disasters such as Helene.

And it’s worth taking the time to repeat the Red Cross’ 1-2-3 disaster readiness plan that we shared in this space last year after a pair of tornadoes did damage in this region:

• Make a survival kit that includes a supply of drinking water; nonperishable, easy-to-prepare food items; a flashlight; extra batteries; a battery-powered or hand-crank radio; a first aid kit; a seven-day supply of medications and medical items; a multi-purpose tool; sanitation and personal hygiene supplies; copies of important personal documents; a cellphone and chargers; family and emergency contact information; extra cash; an emergency blanket; and maps of the area.

• Make a plan with family members on how to respond to the emergencies that are most likely to affect your area, and practice as much of the plan as possible.

• Be informed about which disasters are likely to affect you – from individual crises such as house fires to large-scale emergencies such as floods. Figure out how to get information during an emergency. Know the difference between weather alerts such as watches and warnings and what to do in response to each. Make sure someone in your household is trained in first aid and CPR and knows how to use an automated external defibrillator.

More valuable information is available online at www.redcross.org/prepare.

— The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown via TNS