National Preparedness Month – What You Need to Know

Each year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates September National Preparedness Month (NPM). The goal of NPM is to remind everyone in the country to take steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies, such as natural disasters and even potential terrorist attacks.

Like last year, this year’s NPM theme is “Don’t Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.” Families are encouraged to make an emergency communication plan, get informed on the types of disasters and practice emergency response.

The NPM campaign continues to emphasize the importance of being informed of potential disasters, knowing how to respond, and helping others. FEMA provides resources on their website to help Americans spread the word, be prepared and get involved in their community.

Each week of September has a different theme: Preparing Family & Friends, Preparing Through Service, and Individual Preparedness. The month culminates in the National PrepareAthon Day, during which individuals, communities, and organizations can practice preparedness with others around the country.

During September, we encourage you to spread the word about disaster preparedness to your family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. Don’t wait. Take action today to make sure that you and your family are prepared for an emergency.