St. Agnes seniors learn to stay safe

On Sept. 7, the St. Agnes Cathedral’s Senior Club gathered for its first meeting of the fall, a day thick with humidity thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Hermine. Appropriately, the gathering focused on disaster preparedness, with a thorough review of how to remain safe in case of disaster — natural, technological or man-made.

September is National Preparedness Month, and the St. Agnes meeting was the first scheduled event for Catholic Charities’ Disaster Action Response Team, or DART, and the New York State National Guard Citizen-Preparedness Corps, which together are offering preparedness trainings in parishes throughout the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Sister Helen Byrne, the Senior Club moderator, welcomed state National Guard Lts. Alexandria Wiedenbaum and Jennifer Alvarez, who outlined three important steps in emergency preparedness:

• Develop a family emergency communication plan.

• Gather the supplies you need to care for yourself and family members for seven to 10 days.

• Be aware of what is happening in your environment and beyond.

Alvarez went on to discuss the special preparations necessary for the elderly, the very young and the disabled; the preparation of a “go kit” for an evacuation; how to turn off household utilities; what to do about pets, and other topics.

The team stressed that emergency preparations should be tailored to a household’s needs, and require some advance planning. To assist with planning, every attendee received a disaster preparedness and recovery guidebook from Catholic Charities. The National Guard also gave out wallet-sized guides to preparing for emergencies.

The Disaster Action Response Team facilitates this specialized training in parishes, and is available to assist parish leaders with emergency planning. The program was developed because research has shown that more than 60 percent of Americans turn first to religious leaders for advice and direction in times of crisis.

Additionally, DART has a staff of licensed mental health professionals who provide counseling, free of charge, to more than 100 clients still affected by Hurricane Sandy. New storms such as Hermine can exacerbate feelings of anxiety, depression and severe stress. Anyone in Nassau or Suffolk County who would like to receive counseling through the program should call Jane Collins or Mary Bossart at DART’s Freeport office, at (516) 442-3747.