In September, National Preparedness Month provides local health department (LHD) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Unit leaders, staff, and volunteers with an opportunity to foster greater community understanding and support for the critical role of local public health in supporting emergency preparedness. It also provides an opportunity to foster preparedness internally among staff and volunteers. By hosting preparedness-themed education and outreach activities throughout September, LHDs and MRC Units can promote year-round community vigilance and strengthen collective resilience. In addition, local health officials and MRC Unit volunteers can sharpen their preparedness knowledge and facilitation skills as a result of leading Preparedness Month events.

Resources to Get Involved

NACCHO encourages LHDs and MRCs to take advantage of Preparedness Month to engage families, communities, businesses, staff, volunteers, and other regional partners in preparedness activities.

The 2024 National Preparedness Month campaign by Ready.gov is focused on preparing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. The Ready Campaign aims to ensure all of our friends and neighbors have the tools they need to prepare for disasters and build resilience before disaster strikes. The 2024 theme is “Start a Conversation.”

To help spark a conversation, Ready.gov has created preparedness toolkits in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese. Toolkits include graphics, publications, and messaging you can share with family, friends and neighbors.

Disability inclusion and accessibility is the theme for CDC’s 2024 National Preparedness Month commemoration. CDC is raising awareness about preparing the whole community by integrating disability inclusion and accessibility in all phases of emergency preparedness and response.

Webinars:

• CDC is hosting, Prepare the Whole Community: Integrating Disability Inclusion and Accessibility, on September 3, 12:30 PM ET.
• FEMA is hosting, Engaging Communities and Communicating Preparedness, on September 23, 2:30 PM ET.

Additional Resources:

• Red Cross shares five steps to get ready during National Preparedness Month
• The Environmental Protection Agency shares resources
• FEMA shares resources

If your health department or MRC is planning activities to promote preparedness, NACCHO would like to feature your work through its publications. Please let Senior Communications Specialist Beth Hess ([email protected]) know if you have activities planned.