On the recordSeptember 30, 2015
I am honored once again today to serve as a Congressional co-chair of National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month reminds us that we cannot become complacent in our efforts to build and improve emergency preparedness capabilities. Coming from the 10th Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, which had experienced Hurricane Sandy and the September 11 attacks, I know that disasters can strike at any time. As the ranking member of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, I have also observed a concerning gap in coordination between communication of emergency response plans for children and schools. Each day more than 65 million children are separated from their parents during work-hours, but roughly 42 percent of the parents do not know where to reunite with their children after a school evacuation. Parents, teachers, and emergency responders should engage with community partners so that responsibilities and resources are in place when disasters strike. ____________________
