“Prepare for the Unexpected by Taking Action Now”
By Erin Streeter, Director, Ready Campaign

Over the past decade, our country has seen hundreds of natural disasters – ranging from blizzards and wildfires to hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding that disrupt or even destroy families’ homes and entire communities across America. These events can happen without warning, changing our lives in an instant.

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM) and a good reminder that we all have a responsibility in protecting ourselves, families and our communities. Emergencies will happen, but taking action now can help us minimize the impact they will have on our lives.

This year, the Ready Campaign and its DHS partner Citizen Corps are reminding Americans to take steps to prepare during NPM including: Get an Emergency Supply Kit; Make a Family Emergency Plan; Be Informed about the emergencies and their appropriate responses; and Get Involved in community efforts such as Citizen Corps Councils. Throughout September, activities and events will take place across this country to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness and promote individual involvement, such as first aid trainings, town hall meetings and much more.

Free preparedness resources are just a click away at ready.gov or listo.gov or by calling 1-800-BE-READY. The site has information about the simple steps you can take to prepare and provides templates such as a Family Emergency Plan and an Emergency Supply Checklist. There are also special sections for kids, ages 8-12, ( Ready Kids ) and small- to medium-sized businesses ( Ready Business ).