In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

The City of Boston has just launched two new online tools to help residents prepare a family preparedness plan and find their local emergency shelter.

According to the ReadyBoston press release:

“The Family Preparedness Planner and the Shelter Finder provide interactive ways for residents to answer logistical questions that would arise in an emergency. The Planner is a personalized tool to assist Bostonians in creating an emergency plan and kit. In the Planner, residents enter addresses of important locations such as schools, workplaces, and an out-of-town meeting place; contact information for family, workplaces, schools, and doctors/veterinarians; and digital photos of household members and pets.

The Shelter Finder helps residents identify, map, and find directions by foot, car, or public transportation to their nearest Neighborhood Emergency Center. Pre-designated Neighborhood Emergency Centers (NECs) are located throughout the City to provide various types of support services during an emergency. These Centers are designed to support a number of different functions, depending on the type of emergency. For example, they may serve as an emergency shelter, an evacuation pick up site, a distribution site (for personal supplies or medicine), or a cooling/warming center. NECs are typically located in community centers or schools, and are activated by the City should the need arise.”

Thanks to Avril Cohen’s Twitter feed for bringing this to my attention.