National Preparedness Month: “Prepared, Not Scared.”

FEMA kicked off National Preparedness Month by promoting the importance of preparing children and teenagers for possible emergencies and disasters.

National Preparedness Month, is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning now and throughout the year. The 2019 theme is “Prepared, Not Scared.”

The campaign this year encourages parents, teachers, and caregivers to visit Ready.gov/kids so they can teach our youth what to do when a crisis occurs, and how to take preparedness actions together.

Involving young people in preparedness efforts can help youth, families and communities be prepared and able to respond when faced with disasters.

“Imagine you are at work or at home and your child is at school or on a playdate when a disaster strikes. Do they know what to do if you are not around?” said Acting FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor. “It is important to have these conversations now and prepare ahead of time to be ready for the unexpected.”

Production partner Newfangled Studios created pro bono TV, digital and out-of-home ads.

Additionally, FEMA is also teaming up with Sony Pictures on their upcoming film Zombieland: Double Tap to promote the crucial message of emergency preparedness.

“Emergency preparedness should be top of mind for every American,” says Chief Campaign Development Officer, Michelle Hillman. “For families with kids in the home, it’s especially important. This campaign will continue to empower families to have peace-of-mind knowing their children know what to do in case of a disaster.”

This preparedness effort by the Ready Campaign follows 16 years of educating the American public about disaster and emergency preparedness.

In that time, $1.6 billion in donated media enabled the campaign to reach millions of Americans and encouraged more than 100 million visits to the campaign’s website, Ready.gov.

Each week of National Preparedness Month, the Ready Campaign will emphasize a unique aspect of preparedness:

Sept.1-7: Save Early for Disaster Costs

Sept. 8-14: Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters

Sept. 15-21: Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters

Sept. 22-30: Get Involved in Your Community’s Preparedness

FEMA’s mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. FEMA’s Ready Campaign launched in 2003 as a national public service campaign to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit www.ready.gov.