Media contacts:   
Christopher Harris (County),  (216) 443-7157
Rick Haase (YMCA), (216) 263-6836

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS – The Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management and Warrensville Heights Family YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, partnered to host a National Preparedness Day Event today at the Warrensville Heights Family YMCA, 4433 Northfield Road in Warrensville Heights.

September is National Preparedness Month, and encourages communities to take steps to prepare for emergencies. The event will focus on home preparedness, including children, pets, elderly, and individuals with special needs.

“We want to do everything we can to keep our communities safe.  The YMCA of Greater Cleveland is delighted to partner with the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management on this first-ever National Preparedness Day Event,” said YMCA of Greater Cleveland Vice President of Marketing Rick Haase.  “The safety and security of our members and guests and the children we serve is our top priority.  Our goal with the event is to educate and inform.”

The event is specifically designed with families and children in mind and included a host of activities, including demonstrations such as Build a Kit - American Red Cross; Pet CPR – YMCA of Greater Cleveland; Senior Citizen Preparedness - Cuyahoga County Senior and Adult Services; DNA Buccal Swabs - Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner; How to Extinguish a Fire – Warrensville Heights Fire Department, and Life Jacket Instruction – U.S. Coast Guard.

"Preparing for an emergency ahead of time can make a huge difference for families. Knowing what to do and having a few essential supplies can help everyone cope with disaster," said Cuyahoga County Emergency Management Administrator Walter Topp. "We are very happy to partner with the Warrensville YMCA to provide this important information to the residents of Cuyahoga County.

To view a complete listing of vendors/demos please visit: http://ja.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/SYN//57475/EventTemplate.aspx.

For more information, call (216) 443-7178, or (216) 518-9622, or go to https://www.cuyahogacounty.us/ or www.clevelandymca.org.