The City of Atlanta Hosts Ongoing Emergency Preparedness Programs

Every year, the nation recognizes September as National Preparedness Month. The goal is to increase public awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies and to encourage individuals to take action.



To empower residents, visitors and employees to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools and businesses, the City of Atlanta regularly provides information and hosts programs on emergency preparedness.

• CPR and AED Training: This year, Mayor Shirley Franklin pledged to provide CPR and AED training to all City employees. The city partnered with the American Heart Association for the "Racing the Clock to Restart Atlanta's Hearts" program. To date, the Atlanta Fire Rescue (AFR) department has trained 6,283 employees in CPR and AED life-saving skills, enabling them to assist in instances of emergencies at home, work and within their community.
• Atlanta Citizens Emergency Response Team (ACERT): Since 2005, the Atlanta Fire Rescue (AFR) ACERT program has provided emergency preparedness training to nearly 200 Atlanta residents. Participants receive training in fire suppression (small fires), light search and rescue, disaster psychology, basic first aid, CPR and disaster medical triage. "The ACERT training program prepares Atlanta residents and workers to help themselves and others for up to 72 hours following a natural disaster or catastrophic event. Individuals learn to apply basic skills to help sustain and save lives until help professional emergency rescuers arrive," said AFR Chief Dennis Rubin. For more information or to schedule a training session for your organization, call 404.853.7060 or visit their website.
• The Atlanta Police Department (APD) hosts the Citizen's Police Academy, National Night Out and crime prevention seminars for Atlanta residents. The Citizens Police Academy provides 30 hours of training to Atlanta residents that cover a wide variety of police-related topics. National Night Out is an annual community-policing program that encourages communities to act as liaisons with the police to fight crime. For more information on crime prevention seminars and other tips visit, their website.
• The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) keeps residents prepared for emergencies with informational safety tips in its monthly bill inserts. This month, DWM urged residents to compile a safety kit of supplies that will last for three days in the event of an emergency. The kit should include water, food, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and a first-aid kit.

For more safety tips, visit www.ready.go.