Preparedness is a year round activity. However, September is the month for recognizing national preparedness. The overall goal is to engage the public to make preparedness a part of their daily lives and just not for one single month. National Preparedness Month (NPM) is geared towards building awareness and encouraging Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses, and places of worship. NPM is managed and sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign. The Ready Campaign works closely with Citizen Corps and National Preparedness Community (NPC) members to increase emergency preparedness awareness and activities across the nation and to ensure the rollout of NPM events.
2. Agenda
Preparedness Barriers
National Preparedness Month Objectives
Our Role – “You Be a Hero”
National Preparedness Community
Basic Preparedness Steps
Build a kit
Make a plan
Stay informed
Get involved
More resources visit:
www.Ready.gov/build-a-kit
www.Ready.gov/make-a-plan
www.Ready.gov/be-informed
3. Apathy
“It won’t happen here.”
“I won’t worry about this until a
threat is imminent.”
Not on my radar
“I just haven’t thought about it.”
Lack of information
“I don’t know how to do this.”
Fatalism
“Whatever I do won’t make a difference
in the event of a big disaster.”
Avoidance
“I don’t like to think about it.”
Lack of resources
“I don’t have the money/time.”
“I’m unable to do this.”
Barriers to Preparedness
4. The goal of National Preparedness Month (NPM) is to
increase the overall number of individuals, families, and
communities that engage in preparedness actions at home,
work, businesses, school, and place of worship.
To expand national preparedness by increasing National
Preparedness Community (NPC) membership and
utilization of collaborative online tools:
Events Calendar
Discussions
Toolkit Downloads
Sharing Stories and Photos
Objectives
5. This year’s theme is “You Can Be the Hero.”
Preparedness is an individual responsibility. The
better prepared you are, the more likely you are to can
save a life. Be a preparedness hero in your
community!
Share the message of preparedness and engage
others in preparedness activities. People are more
likely to hear and act on messages from people they
know and trust.
Join the National Preparedness Community (NPC) at
Community.FEMA.gov. Get resources and receive
support from your peers and emergency management
personnel to help you plan your NPM activities.
Our Role
6. Community.FEMA.gov is the online home of the
National Preparedness Community. Connect,
collaborate, educate, and empower yourselves and
others to fulfill our shared responsibility to prepare!
Specifically, we can use the Community to:
Learn from each other and share resources
Engage in discussions with
emergency management personnel
Coordinate, participate, and engage
others in NPM activities
Join the National Preparedness
Community (NPC)
7. Basic Preparedness Steps
Stay Informed about types of emergencies that can
occur and know the appropriate responses.
Make a Family Emergency Plan
Build a Kit
Get Involved
7
More resources visit:
www.Ready.gov/build-
a-kit
www.Ready.gov/make
-a-plan
www.Ready.gov/be-
informed
http://www.ready.gov/
get-involved
8. Self-reliance in Disasters
Preparedness is an individual responsibility
When you are prepared and an emergency
strikes, first responders are able to assist those
in greatest need
Self-reliance extends to helping neighbors and
friends
Be ready to lend a hand to those in need
8
9. Know Your Local Risk
Types of hazards likely to occur in your community
Their appropriate responses (before, during and after
an event)
The emergency plans available in your community
Visit Ready.gov/today for more resources
9
More resources visit:
www.ready.gov/natura
l-disasters
www.Ready.gov/get-
tech-ready
“Al Roker-Be Ready
for any weather”
30 sec PSA
(closed captioning)
http://youtu.be/0ZMr1
XtP6BY
10. Evacuation Routes
Plan where you will
go if an emergency
happens
Plan driving routes
and alternates
Plan for public transportation
options if you do not have a
vehicle
Make a plan for your pets
10
More resources visit:
www.ready.gov/evacu
ating-yourself-and-
your-family
http://www.ready.gov/
caring-animals
www.Ready.gov/alerts
11. Build a Kit
Disasters can happen anywhere and at
anytime
Be prepared with emergency supplies kits in
the places where you and your family spend
large amounts of time – at work, in your car,
at home, etc.
Learn more at
Ready.gov/build-a-kit
11
More resources visit:
www.Ready.gov/build-
a-kit
“Be Prepared for
Emergencies while
Traveling.”
30 sec
(closed captioning)-
http://youtu.be/VDEsfg
wGwwY
12. Make a Plan
You may not be together as a family when an emergency
happens. Consider what to do if there is no access to cell
phones, gas stations, grocery stores, ATMs, etc.
Identify a common out-of-town contact for your family
Know school and work plans
Identify meeting places
Visit Ready.gov/make-a-plan
for a family emergency plan
template
12
More resources visit:
www.Ready.gov/make
-a-plan
“The Day Before”
PSA 30 sec
(closed captioning)-
http://youtu.be/4s7z05
G5p4Y
13. Get Involved
Reach out to local organizations for assistance:
Citizen Corps Councils
Visit CitizenCorps.gov for more information
Local Emergency Management Offices
Home Owners Association or Neighborhood
Civic Association
13
More resources visit:
http://www.ready.gov/
get-involved
14. More Resources
14
More resources visit:
Ready.gov/build-a-kit
Ready.gov/make-a-plan
Ready.gov/be-informed
Ready.gov/natural-disasters
Ready.gov/get-tech-ready
Ready.gov/alerts
Ready.gov/today
Ready.gov/caring-animals
Ready.gov/evacuating-yourself-and-your-family
Video:
“Al Roker-Be Ready for any weather”
30 sec PSA (closed captioning)
http://youtu.be/0ZMr1XtP6BY
“Be Prepared for Emergencies while Traveling.”
30 sec (closed captioning)
http://youtu.be/VDEsfgwGwwY
“The Day Before”
30 sec PSA 30 (closed captioning)
http://youtu.be/4s7z05G5p4Y
The likelihood that you and your family will recover from a disaster or emergency event tomorrow often depends on the planning and preparation done today. Following a major disaster or emergency event, first responders may not be able reach you to help. Factors such as number of injuries, communication failures and even road blockages can prevent people from receiving emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice. This is why being prepared is so important. Being responsible for knowing what to do before, during and after a disaster enables you to stay safe during the event and allows first responders to assist those in greatest need.Data shows 90 percent of disaster survivors are rescued by a neighbor. Talk to your neighbors and plan for how you will work together to ensure everyone stays safe in the event of an emergency.
Emergency preparedness is not the sole concern of Californians for earthquakes, those who live in "Tornado Alley"; or Gulf Coast residents because of hurricanes. Most communities may be impacted by several types of hazards during a lifetime. Americans also travel more than ever before and will travel to areas impacted by hazards they may not be at risk for at home. Knowing what to do before, during and after any emergency is a critical part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.Remember, don’t just stop at knowing what the local hazards are, learn how you will know there is an impending hazardous event. Familiarize yourself with the signs of events that come without warning and know the local advance alerts and warnings and how you will receive them. Knowing about the local emergency plans for shelter and evacuation and local emergency contacts will help you prepare for a possible event and will also aid you during an event.
Evacuations are more common than many people realize. Fires and floods cause evacuations most frequently across the U.S. and almost every year, people along coastlines evacuate as hurricanes approach. If you are told to evacuate, have a plan on where you will go. Make sure you have several destinations in different directions.The amount of time you have to leave will depend on the hazard. If the event is a weather condition, such as a hurricane, you might have a day or two to get ready. However, many disasters allow no time for people to gather even the most basic necessities, which is why planning ahead is essential.Plan how you will assemble your family and supplies and anticipate where you will go for different situations. Choose several destinations in different directions so you have options in an emergency and know the evacuation routes to get to those destinations.If you do not have a car, know public transportation options. If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Keep in mind that what's best for you is typically what's best for your animals.
Knowing that disasters can happen anytime and anywhere, it’s important to have the supplies you need to keep you and your family comfortable and safe in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Having a preparedness kit in each of the places you spend most of your time will allow you to grab the essentials quickly if you need to evacuate or even shelter in place. These places include your Home, Office, School, and Vehicle.You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages. Find more information on how to build a kit and the essential supplies you should consider at www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.
Some additional family emergency planning tips:Identify an Out-of-Town Contact – In an emergency it might be easier to make a phone call out of town so designate a contact out-of-town to take roll and relay information for your familyKnow School and Work Plans – Learn about the emergency plans at your workplace and at your child’s school so when an emergency happens, you are confident that you and your family members are safe.Identify Meeting Places – Choose two places to meet with family members in case you are not together when a disaster strikes: one in the neighborhood and one outside of the neighborhood so you can reunite with your family in a timely manner.
As we’ve said before, preparedness is something the whole community must be involved in. While it’s important you know what to do for yourself and your family, don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Reach out to emergency preparedness and response groups in your community for advice or assistance. Your local Citizen Corps Council is a great resource and is there to assist the community with preparedness activities. Councils will often have informational materials and other resources from which you can get important how-to-do preparedness information. Additionally, local emergency management offices will have information on community evacuation plans, shelter sites, local hazards and risks, etc. for your knowledge. If you live in a community with a homeowners association or have an active neighborhood civic association, be sure to check in with them also to see what information they can provide to you with regard to keep your home and family safe.
As we’ve said before, preparedness is something the whole community must be involved in. While it’s important you know what to do for yourself and your family, don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Reach out to emergency preparedness and response groups in your community for advice or assistance. Your local Citizen Corps Council is a great resource and is there to assist the community with preparedness activities. Councils will often have informational materials and other resources from which you can get important how-to-do preparedness information. Additionally, local emergency management offices will have information on community evacuation plans, shelter sites, local hazards and risks, etc. for your knowledge. If you live in a community with a homeowners association or have an active neighborhood civic association, be sure to check in with them also to see what information they can provide to you with regard to keep your home and family safe.
As we’ve said before, preparedness is something the whole community must be involved in. While it’s important you know what to do for yourself and your family, don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Reach out to emergency preparedness and response groups in your community for advice or assistance. Your local Citizen Corps Council is a great resource and is there to assist the community with preparedness activities. Councils will often have informational materials and other resources from which you can get important how-to-do preparedness information. Additionally, local emergency management offices will have information on community evacuation plans, shelter sites, local hazards and risks, etc. for your knowledge. If you live in a community with a homeowners association or have an active neighborhood civic association, be sure to check in with them also to see what information they can provide to you with regard to keep your home and family safe.