September not only signifies the official back-to-school season, it's also National Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap Counties reminds you this is a good time to review the "basics" - the basics of preparedness, that is -by ensuring everyone in your home knows the family emergency plan.

"There are four simple things each of us can do to be prepared: (1) make a family emergency plan, (2) build an emergency preparedness kit, (3) get trained and (4) volunteer," said local Red Cross CEO Larry Petry. "Hurricane Katrina is a powerful reminder of how important it is to make our community safer and minimize the impact that disasters and emergencies have on our lives. Locally we don't have the threat of hurricanes, but we do need to prepare for fires, floods and earthquakes."

After determining places to meet, identify an out-of-town relative or friend to be the family contact.

For more information, visit www.seattleredcross.org or contact 206-323-2345.