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Zoo Hosts "Ready Shelby Day"

Hundreds of excited visitors were welcomed to the Memphis Zoo on Saturday, October 22, 2011 by representatives from emergency agencies for "Ready Shelby Day!"

From 10:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., preparedness partners were on hand to give away brochures, door prizes, and good advice, as they talked with the public about disaster preparedness.

Agencies participating in the event who lined the Zoo Plaza with their colorful booths included the Shelby County Office of Preparedness / Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Shelby County Medical Reserve Corps, Lifeblood, the American Red Cross Mid-South Chapter, Search Dogs South Rescue, the Salvation Army, as well as the Children's Museum of Memphis, and the Memphis Gizzlies Grizz Girls.

At the top of each hour children to seniors enjoyed the Fire Safety House Experience or the Teton Trek Access Road. Scheduled events for the day included: the Sea Lions with Elrod the Clown, the Michael Clayton Magic Show, LAFS Clown Troupe, and the Search Dogs South Rescue.

"Ready Shelby Day" is an annual event sponsored by Ready Shelby, an emergency preparedness initiative created by the municipal mayors of Shelby County. Ready Shelby's mission is to educate citizens to prepare for emergencies....to encourage and teach them how to be self-sufficient after a disaster until professional rescuers arrive on the scene. Ready Shelby recommends citizens start with these five steps towards preparedness:

• 1. Make a family communications plan
• 2. Know your safe place
• 3. Build emergency and first aid supply kits
• 4. Learn compression-only CPR
• 5. Participate in the free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training