The N.J. Department of Health kicked off its recognition of National Preparedness Month with a list of ways residents can protect themselves from disasters, as well as a calendar of events occurring across the state.

“The catastrophic loss of life and property that Hurricane Harvey and subsequent flooding has left behind remind us that disasters can strike at any moment,” said Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett. “A little preparation goes a long way when faced with a public health crisis of this magnitude.”

New Jersey’s expertise at hurricane response has already been enlisted in the aftermath of Harvey.

In addition to NJHA’s coordination of volunteer nurses and doctors sent to Texas yesterday, Assistant Health Commissioner Christopher Rinn has been deployed to Austin, Texas, to support Harvey relief efforts of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Hospitals and health systems can find additional emergency preparedness tools on the NJHA website, including the recently updated toolkit Weathering the Storm: A Hurricane Planning, Response and Recovery Toolkit for Healthcare Facilities.

The Department also is participating in several trainings and exercises this month to address specific disaster concerns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are putting on a Radiation Risk Communication Workshop Sept. 7, the EMS task force is participating in a Newark Liberty International Airport full-scale exercise Sept. 9, and there will be an exercise at Oyster Creek near the end of the month.