Delaware County Council wants every household in the county to be prepared for any type of emergency, from an ice storm that knocks out power to a major accident that closes our highways.

Council partnered with the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) to publish a glossy, informative guide that details how to create an emergency supply kit, evacuation routes, emergency shelter locations, hospital information, key contact numbers, and a guide for creating a personal family plan.

“The county has overall emergency plans that address manmade or natural disasters, but this Resource Guide is for emergency planning at the family level,” said Councilman John McBlain. “The Guide lists items that each homeowner should have on hand, and should know in case of an emergency.

“Individuals are their own emergency managers for their homes or their businesses. Our goal is to help residents be better prepared, to prompt them to be educated and ready.”

During September, which is national Emergency Preparedness Month, County Council and the LEPC are making the guides available through the 26 libraries in the county Library System, municipalities, and at Wawa stores.

The LEPC is one of four branches that come under Delaware County Emergency Services, along with Emergency Communications such as 911, Emergency Management, and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).

The LEPC prepared the Guide to raise public awareness about the importance of personal preparedness. Individuals and families are encouraged to use the Guide to create an emergency plan and to stock crucial supplies in their home.

“The time to prepare for an emergency is before it happens,” McBlain said. “Knowing how to respond in an emergency is the key to minimizing the impact of that emergency.”

The Guide provides information on how to respond to various types of emergencies and details under what circumstances people should “shelter in place” or evacuate. There is a list of items that should be included in an evacuation bag.

According to the Guide, people should “talk with your family about emergencies: what to do, how to find each other, and how to stay in contact during an emergency.”

There are also details for preparing pets for an emergency.

Individuals can also e-mail their address to DelcoPR@co.delaware.pa.us to receive a copy of the free Emergency Preparedness Guide.