Scout Ready

Instilling safety and emergency preparedness in the nation’s youth has been a growing priority. To help make emergency planning and safety education part of people’s everyday habits, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have teamed up to host Scout Ready, a safety education and awareness event, on Saturday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach. This free event is open to all families to learn about emergency preparedness and sign up for scouts. Current scouts can participate if they bring a friend to join.

Being prepared has been part of Girl Scouting since the organization was founded in 1912. In fact, “Be prepared.” is the Girl Scout motto. While being prepared today has changed from those earlier years, it is still just as important. Girl Scouts are called upon to be role models for their peers and practice good safety habits. It is essential for them to know how to do a job well, even in an emergency.

A 2012 survey conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) found that only 39 percent of individuals reported having a household emergency plan. Preparation for a potential emergency or disaster makes a real difference for people to make quick and informed decisions in the face of emergency situations. At Scout Ready, families can visit with local first responders and law enforcement to come up with their own emergency plans, have their child fingerprinted as part of the Child Identification Program and learn about natural disaster preparedness from WAVY TV 10 Meteorologist Deitra Tate. Other exhibitors, including the American Red Cross, Bon Secours, GEICO, the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney, Spectrum Puppets and Tidewater Family Magazine will also be on site with fun and informational activities for families.

For more information about attending Scout Ready or joining Girl Scouts, visit www.gsccc.org.