Shapiro Administration Encourages Pennsylvanians to Make Preparedness a Priority and “Resolve to Be Ready” this Holiday Season

​Harrisburg, PA - The busy holiday season is upon us, and as many are shopping for family and friends, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC) encourage you to think preparedness when choosing gifts for loved ones. By giving a gift with preparedness in mind, you're helping your loved ones "Resolve to be Ready" for emergencies and disasters in 2025.

"The holidays are a time for celebration and fellowship with those near and dear to us," said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. "Purchasing preparedness gifts like flashlights, weather radios, and first aid kits are great options to add to the list, which will help your family or friends be ready for emergencies over the holidays and for months to come."

One or two simple items given as a gift this season can be the start of an emergency preparedness kit for the home or the car. Some basic kit supplies include:

• Water (one gallon per person for at least 3 days)
• Nonperishable food (enough for several days)
• First-aid kit
• Extra phone charger
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Basic tools
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio
• Manual can opener
• Extra clothes/shoes
• Blankets/sleeping bags
• Hygiene items
• Whistle
• Paper maps
• Trash bags
• Duct tape

In addition, for a car kit consider the following items:

• Jumper cables
• Ice scraper/snow brush
• Shovel
• Kitty litter/sand for traction

While these gifts will help to build a "toolbox" for emergencies, don't forget to make a plan, communicate it, and practice it so your family and friends are ready when a disaster occurs.

Visit the ReadyPA website for more lists, pet preparedness, and to sign up for emergency alerts.

"Fire safety is paramount during the holiday season. With live Christmas trees in homes, cooking, candles, fireplaces, and heaters kicking into high gear, the risk for home fires increases," said State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. "Practical gifts like smoke and carbon monoxide alarms or a fire extinguisher are excellent ways to show you care as you help to prepare your loved ones for home emergencies."

Preparing your home to be fire safe should not be overlooked in the busy hustle and bustle of the season. Take the following precautions to reduce the risk of fire:

• have a professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents each year,
• plug space heaters directly into an outlet; never use an extension cord,
• install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and test them at least once per month,
• only plug one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at a time,
• store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container at least 10 feet from your home/nearby buildings, and
• use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage of the light fixture.

And be sure to consider the following actions when decorating:

• keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn,
• keep trees at least three feet from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, and heat vents,
• get rid of your Christmas tree after the holiday or when it's dry, and
• read string light instructions and throw away any strands that are worn or damaged.
  

Resolve to be ready for a home fire by making a basic plan to evacuate to a designated meeting place outside, and then communicate and practice the plan with your whole family.

Visit the OSFC Public Safety website for details on making fire safety plan, how to teach children fire safety, how to make you home safer, and seasonal weather safety tips.

Media Contact: Jeff Jumper -​[email protected] ​

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