HUNTERDON: Be prepared for emergencies with Register Ready

   A snowstorm may strike the Hunterdon area tonight into Wednesday.
   Such an emergency could force many residents to remain housebound. If so, you and any of your neighbors with special needs should know about Register Ready, a confidential online registry offered here in Hunterdon County.
   The county department of human services, the office of emergency management, and the health department are working together to ensure that county residents with special needs have an opportunity through Register Ready to let emergency response agencies know who and where they are before a major disaster occurs. The three county groups are helping assist the NJ Offices of Homeland Security & Preparedness, and Emergency Management, in developing this statewide registry for residents with special needs.
   Register Ready is set up to confidentially collect and protect the exact information that emergency responders can use for those with special needs, when family, caregivers or friends are unable to help them. While signing up with Register Ready is not a guarantee of individual assistance during an emergency, the information in the registry will increase the ability of local responders to best utilize available resources that will be stressed during this critical time.
   ”By signing up with this new confidential online registry, residents with special needs help emergency response agencies to better plan how to serve them during a disaster,” said Rose Puelle, PhD, director of the Public Health Preparedness division of the county health department.
   Hunterdon County residents or caregivers on their behalf should consider signing up with Register Ready if, because of physical or cognitive limitations, language difficulty, or lack of transportation, they anticipate having difficulty meeting their critical needs during an emergency.
   To sign up online, visit www.co.hunterdon.nj.us and click on the Quick Link for “Register Ready.” That will take you to the online registry form. If you do not have access to the Internet, call 2-1-1 or Hunterdon Helpline at 1-800-272-4630 to register by phone. Services are available for the hearing impaired.
   County health department staff is available for Register Ready presentations to groups. Health educator Yasmin Rivera and intern John McGinnis can be reached at 908-788-1351. Mr. McGinnis is already scheduled to present to the Readington Township Board of Health on Feb. 16.
   ”I’ll be highlighting why the Register Ready program is important and outline who would benefit most by this registry,” said Mr. McGinnis. “Part of the presentation includes detailed instructions on how to register, along with information to use at home.”
   Additional information is available at www.fema.gov, and www.nj.gov/njoem.