Surrounded by law enforcement, military and emergency personnel, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said Kansans should feel safe, but remain alert.

"Recent events have taught us we all should prepare for emergencies," she said.

These days, we're seeing an emergency on a massive scale. Hurricane Katrina has impacted a land area roughly the size of Kansas. Sebelius says it's hard to imagine if our entire state was wiped out by a single incident.

The teams on display at the Statehouse Wednesday would be our first line of defense. The Salvation Army, community response teams, National Guard, technical rescue, Coast Guard and more say they're ready to act.

Kansas Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Bill Seck says the most important job is to be sure Kansans are safe. But he says safety is also up to you.

"It doesn't take a lot of time but it does take commitment," Col. Seck said.

The commitment begins at home. Sebelius says each individual should take responsibility and develop a plan with their family, make an emergency kit and know where they'd go next if something should happen.

Once you've looked out for your family, look out for your neighbors. Kansas Adjutant General Tod Bunting says if everyone is vigilant it will go a long way toward keeping our communities safe.

While Kansas re-evaluates its own disaster plans, it's also helping out in the disaster area. Sebelius says 230 Kansas National Guard troops are in the Gulf coast region right now.