Are you prepared? Resources for natural disasters.

We will develop a traveling exhibit for rural Georgia public libraries to educate individuals on preparedness and safety response to natural disasters and local emergencies. The exhibit information will be based on the content developed for the NLM funded training program the Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics (IHLA) previously developed to educate Georgia Southern University students on disaster preparedness and response. The exhibit will consist of three large portable panels (2.5’x6.5’). Our in-house exhibit designer will design the panels with engaging graphics and images to inform and educate the public. Content will be developed at a middle school education level. Panels will be produced on fabric at high resolution and mounted on free standing on metal frames. The banners will be easy to transport and set up in library locations. Panel 1: Types and impacts of disaster emergencies. Both natural (storms, floods, heat, etc.) and human (biohazards, fire, chemical, etc.) Panel 2: Where to find reliable resources for natural disaster preparedness and response information during emergencies. How to identify reliable resources. The banners will include QR code links to reliable sources. Panel 3: How to be prepared in your community and at home. Description and photos of a Go Kit, how to make one, and what goes into it. In addition to the three large banners, we will provide each location with printed brochures of NLM resources. Brochures will contain emergency contact and reliable source information, as well as a checklist and instructions for them to use in creation of personal or family Go Kit(s). Printed material will be easily accessible and can also be placed into books being checked out at the library. An iPad, locked on a stand, will display links to NLM and NIH pages on emergency preparedness as well as any local sources of emergency information. Coastal and southern Georgia is at higher risk of annual hurricanes and associated flooding, power outages, food shortages, etc. We will engage four rural libraries in coastal or southern Georgia to host the exhibit at no charge for six weeks at each location. Wheeler County Library has already committed to being a site. We will transport, set up, and take down the exhibit at each location.