September
is National Preparedness Month, and that according to local authorities should
have special significance to residents of Jackson Hole. Interim Emergency
Management Coordinator Rich Ochs says short of hurricanes, this valley could
face almost any of the other events that could threaten the welfare of its
residents. Among the actions Ochs says local residents can take during this
month is to organize their personal survival items to be centrally located. Ochs
adds, that families need to outline how they will communicate if they become
separated during an emergency since local communications are likely to be
knocked out. This, he says, includes setting a specific geographic rendezvous
point and an out-of-town contact to coordinate family information since
long-distance communication is often available when local communication is not.