National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month is observed throughout September as a reminder that planning ahead can help individuals, families, workplaces, and communities face emergencies with greater confidence. The observance highlights the importance of understanding potential risks, staying informed, and taking practical steps to protect people, homes, and essential belongings.

Throughout the month, people are encouraged to create or update emergency plans, assemble supply kits, learn basic safety skills, and consider the needs of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and pets. National Preparedness Month turns preparedness into an approachable, shared effort—helping everyone build resilience and support one another before, during, and after unexpected events.

National Preparedness Month is observed throughout September to encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to prepare for disasters and emergencies. The observance emerged in the years following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when public attention increasingly focused on the importance of coordinated emergency planning and individual readiness. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helped establish National Preparedness Month in 2004 as part of a broader national effort to strengthen preparedness and promote the message that everyone has a role in reducing disaster risks.

Its development was closely connected with the federal government’s Ready campaign, launched to provide practical guidance on emergency planning. Early preparedness advice emphasized creating an emergency kit, making a family communications plan, learning about local hazards, and staying informed through reliable authorities. Over time, the observance expanded beyond terrorism-related concerns to address the wide range of emergencies communities may face, including hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, severe winter weather, public-health emergencies, and technological disruptions.

National Preparedness Month has evolved as emergency-management priorities and public needs have changed. Annual campaigns have commonly used themes to focus attention on specific aspects of readiness, such as planning for vulnerable household members, strengthening community resilience, protecting financial records, and taking steps to recover after a disaster. The observance also reflects the growing recognition that preparedness is a continuing process rather than a one-time activity: plans should be reviewed, supplies replaced, contact information updated, and households should practice how they will respond.

Culturally, the month has helped make emergency preparedness part of ordinary civic and household life. Government agencies, schools, nonprofits, employers, and local organizations use September to conduct drills, distribute information, organize training, and encourage conversations about risks that may otherwise receive little attention. Its central message is that preparedness is a shared responsibility: individuals can take practical steps to protect themselves, while communities and institutions work together to improve communication, assistance, and recovery. (Source: [National Today](https://nationaltoday.com/national-preparedness-month/))