September is National Preparedness Month - Are you Ready?
Old Head Lighthouse, Kinsale Ireland
The beginning of preparedness month often reminds us to begin to prioritize individual and family preparedness efforts. However, with the multiple deadly wildfires, and several major hurricanes still fresh in our minds, if the importance of preparedness isn’t already apparent, this calendar reminder will likely not be enough to effect change.
September was identified as Preparedness Month starting in 2004 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a way to highlight the importance of personal preparedness in the years following the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Depending on where you live, preparedness should be considered when threats to health, wellness, and livelihood are most relevant. For people living in coastal communities planning for hurricanes and flooding should begin prior to June, which is the beginning of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. For those living in the Great Plains or northern portions of the Nation, preparedness activities often reach their peak in October and November in preparation for severe winter storms. Many different areas of the county recognize the impact of warming and drier weather to highlight potential fire weather and the risk of wildfire.
Interested in efforts to improve personal and family preparedness? Continue to follow the First Responder Preparedness series, and leverage online resources to plan and implement plans and activities that make you and your family better prepared and more resilient when disaster strikes.
