The Shelby County Farm Service Agency (FSA), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), would like to encourage all Shelby County residents to become better prepared in the event of an emergency. Disasters do happen. Being prepared can help you safely and effectively manage the situation.

USDA offers a program to help farmers recover from disasters. FSA is committed to helping not only farmers, but residents of the county to become better prepared before extreme weather conditions hit. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently launched a free mobile app that will instruct the public on what to do before, during and after emergencies. The app is available for download for Apple, Android and Blackberry mobile devices.

Download the app to:

• Receive alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations;

• Get safety reminders, read tips to survive natural disasters and customize your emergency checklist;

• Locate open shelters and where to talk to FEMA in person (or on the phone);

• Upload and share your disaster photos to help first responders.

For more information about the FEMA app, visit www.fema.gov/mobile-app. To learn more about how you can be better prepared in the event of an emergency visit: www.ready.gov/

Shelby County FSA office is a member of the Shelby County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The main emphasis of the LEPC is related to chemical emergency preparedness and response, however, the committee is also involved in other relevant issues of emergency preparation. For more information on the Shelby County LEPC visit http://co.shelby.oh.us/emergency-management-agency/4480-2/.