Welcome to July! Summer is already blazing hot, and it isn’t cooling off anytime soon.

This month we are exploring some of Mother Nature’s most devastating events, the topics of earthquakes, avalanches, and landslides. These are some of the most unpredictable of all natural disasters. “Precursor” tremblers are not always present, and the secondary effects of earthquakes, aftershocks and tsunamis, extending the trauma of the first event by hours, days, or even weeks. Landslides challenge even the most experienced of agencies due to their dangerous rescue conditions.

The effects of these disasters can persist for years, and disrupt the lives of many people in a single event. Rebuilding is still ongoing in some areas destroyed by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. This past April, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Nepal killed almost 9,000 people, injured more than 23,000, and affected over 8 million people. International relief efforts have been on the ground for several months, and are expected to be in Nepal for quite some time.

Within the At the Ready features this month readers will find links and resources for preparedness, response, recovery, and technologies relevant to preserving life and property when the ground shakes. Our At the Resource feature contains free training from FirstResponder.gov, including archived webinars from an eight state earthquake disaster drill from June 2014. The Responder Spotlight features Team Rubicon, the agency responds to most of the worst disasters each year.

Finally, please plan to join us in Columbus, Georgia September 11th-13th for the At the Ready Region IV Expo. Attend the expo and training events free. Registration is required. You can find everything expo on our website.

Continue to have a wonderful summer. This issue will go great with a glass of lemonade or iced tea. As always, stay At the Ready.

With warmest regards,

Dawn