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Mid-Atlantic’s Premier Emergency Preparedness Store Opens in Washington,DC Suburb

March 21, 2010 – WASHINGTON, DC - After nearly a decade of planning, READY, LLC, the Mid-Altantic’s first retail store dedicated exclusively to emergency preparedness, has opened in the Washington, DC suburb of Kensington, Maryland. Among the store’s more than 5,000 items are long-term shelf-stable food supplies and long-term storage containers, water storage and filtration, emergency kits and contents, survival supplies, self-reliance resources, and even such hard to find products such as bullet proof vests.

Located at 10335 Kensington Parkway in Maryland, the store is the brainchild of Virginia businessman Spencer Williams, who, in his capacity as a contractor with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, communicates frequently with first responders and, more importantly, disaster survivors.  Says Williams, “I understand the urgency of helping people get prepared for natural and man-made disasters because I read about and respond to them on a daily basis.  To me, the subject is a very personal one because I see what happens first hand when people aren’t prepared.”

Part of the delay in the store’s opening was Williams’ desire to research and provide the best products available in all disaster preparedness categories often testing many of the products himself.  He states that there is a multitude of retailers online that peddle products but don’t carry inventory.  They rely on others to have products in stock, most of which come from China.  Since his is the first in the  Washington DC Metro, he wanted it to reflect a much broader spectrum of products people could rely on, he would stand behind, be cost competitive, and carry all inventory in-house (or on-hand).  READY also has a no fuss Best Price Guarantee for individual purchases.  He understands that being prepared is a personal decision, but it is often accomplished best in groups.  Thus READY offers special quantity discount pricing for groups such as churches, non-profits, businesses, schools and others who wish to make either quantity or bulk purchases.

In speaking of his store’s mission, Williams reflects, “What I wanted to create was not just a store, but a complete preparedness resource that would teach preparedness principles, provide proven products and promote planning to help people anticipate those unexpected situations that might arise.”   Williams adds, “This past year, in the Washington, DC region alone, people faced significant disruption because of sustained power outages, winter storms and localized flooding. I believe that the hardships and sacrifices faced by the people in this area created an unprecedented consciousness that they were woefully unprepared to “shelter in place” something businesses and governments have been trying to teach us for years. 

While Williams prefers to focus on the more positive aspects of the needs his business meets, he is aware that the DC Metro area is susceptible to the increasing threat of terrorism or other disasters.  “While our security agencies are unsurpassed, it is only a matter of time before mass confusion and disruption in utilities or transportation we rely on daily will hit closer to home, through any number of natural or man-made disasters.  Thus the preparedness of most worth is for disasters people don’t yet think are real.”

The nations premier emergency management agency FEMA has highlighted that public confidence about disasters runs counter to the preparedness culture.   Only 10% of the public nationwide has a plan and a 72hr kit, while 34% feel very prepared for a catastrophic event.  How many people who live in the DC Metro have some sort of home, work, or car emergency kit should they need to go to a temporary shelter or a back-up supply of long-term food and water storage if they were unable to get to stores or if stores were unable to operate?  To me, I can’t think of anything more personally rewarding than to be instrumental in helping people plan for, prepare against, prevent or confidently respond to possible disasters.  Thus the motto and mission I bring with READY, PREPARE TODAY PROTECT TOMORROW.”

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