Preparedness fair offers help for people, pets

Adina Zerwig

The Emergency Preparedness Fair on campus gave students resources and information about how to prepare and survive a natural disaster or emergency on Tuesday.

This is the third year Sacramento State has hosted this fair. Pacific Gas and Electric, the National Weather Service and the United Animal Nations were just a few of the organizations represented at the fair.

Staci Louie, business community coordinator, said that the fair is about personal preparedness for individuals and families in case of an emergency at work, home or while traveling.

“If we prepare ourselves and our families to be self-sufficient, that is one less family that emergency services will have to rescue,” she said.

Louie said one of the main items of focus at the fair is the creation of the “72-hour kit” – a kit that will provide basic survival needs in the case of a natural disaster. These kits are available at and sporting goods stores.

Officer Ben Louie, who has served in the Sacramento Police Department for 28 years, said that he suggests every person have basic survival gear stored at home. He said students should be aware of what they need if water, electricity and gas are cut off. Water, food, blankets and flashlights are just some of the items he suggests every student should have.

“The average person can go three days without food, but only one day without water,” Louie said. Louie said he also suggests that students have survival kits in his or her car, or simple items such as extra pair of shoes and blankets.

“If you are involved or in an area where there is a disaster and you aren’t prepared, you will have a hard time surviving,” he said.

The fair wasn’t only for human survival. Part of the fair focused on preparing pet owners for disasters. Susan McKee, a volunteer for the United Animal Nation, said animals are often left or forgotten in a natural disaster because the owners are not prepared.

For more information students can go to www.ready.gov.

Adina Zerwig can be reached at [email protected].