Join America’s PrepareAthon! to Help Your Community Prepare for Disasters

August 25, 2014

Disaster preparedness campaign turns awareness into action

As extreme weather events, wildfires, and other disasters continue to strike our nation, we are reminded that preparedness should be a year-round activity. A 2012 FEMA survey found that despite the increase in weather-related events, nearly 70 percent of Americans had not participated in a disaster preparedness drill or exercise at home, school, or work within the past year. America’s PrepareAthon! is designed to improve this statistic.

America’s PrepareAthon! is a grassroots action campaign to encourage individuals, organizations, and communities to prepare for specific hazards through drills, group discussions, and exercises. The campaign urges individuals and organizations to take simple, specific actions to increase preparedness for a disaster.

This fall, National PrepareAthon! Day takes place on September 30 to complement and support National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare.” Join millions of Americans who will bring attention to the importance of preparedness, build awareness of local hazards, and encourage individuals and communities across the country to practice preparedness actions. 

America’s PrepareAthon! provides a variety of free resources and guides to help workplaces, schools, houses of worship, community-based organizations, and the whole community practice specific preparedness activities necessary to stay safe before, during, and after an emergency or disaster. Use these resources to raise awareness and plan local activities to help your community be better prepared.

We recognize the importance of preparedness, and are committed to keeping you and your loved ones safe. Being prepared is a shared responsibility, and we encourage everyone to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! It takes the whole community working together to effectively withstand and recover from natural disasters.

There are simple actions you can take right now to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! For example, sign up to receive local alerts and warnings and encourage your neighbors and friends to do the same. Receiving timely information makes a major difference in knowing when to take action to be safe – whether at home, school, or on the job. The Be Smart – Know Your Alerts and Warnings guide, located on the America’s PrepareAthon! web site, provides valuable information about emergency notification systems and how to stay safe.

Join the movement! Once you’ve decided how you plan to participate, be sure to register your activities on the web site at www.ready.gov/prepare.

To find out more about National Preparedness Month and America’s PrepareAthon! go to www.ready.gov. Participate in the conversation on social media by using #PrepareAthon and #NPMSeptember.