FEMA is using National Preparedness Month to urge households to make emergency plans, sign up for alerts and gradually assemble disaster supply kits before a crisis occurs.
The agency's Ready Campaign launched its 2026 observance under the theme “Americans Stand Ready,” emphasizing practical steps people can take to protect relatives, neighbors and pets during tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes and other emergencies.
National Preparedness Month has been observed since 2004. FEMA said September offers an opportunity for individuals and community groups to improve readiness through manageable and affordable actions.
FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton said individual preparation can make neighborhoods more resilient and help people support one another after disasters. He encouraged families to learn skills they can use when normal services or routines are disrupted.
The agency recommends that each household create a plan covering where family members will go, what they will need and how they will communicate. Plans should include pets, reflect the hazards most likely in the area and identify evacuation routes and a destination if residents must leave home.
FEMA also advises people to register for local warning systems and maintain more than one way to receive emergency information. The Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio are among the services that distribute alerts.
Households are encouraged to build an emergency kit with food, first-aid items and other supplies needed to remain safe and comfortable until help arrives. FEMA said kits do not need to be assembled all at once and can begin with useful items already in the home, including canned food and first-aid supplies.
The Ready Campaign provides a supply list and guidance for tailoring a kit to a family's particular needs at Ready.gov. The site also offers updated resources for people beginning or revising their disaster plans.
State, local, tribal and territorial agencies can take part in the month, along with schools, businesses, faith organizations and community groups. FEMA has released a free toolkit with customizable preparedness messages and safety tips for those organizations to share.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.