FEMA Encourages Americans to Participate in National Preparedness Month

WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Ready Campaign, in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council, today announced the launch of new web tools that will make it easier for individuals and organizations throughout the nation to join the 2011 National Preparedness Month (NPM) coalition and pledge their support to help prepare their families, businesses and communities for emergencies of all kinds.

The eighth annual NPM will kickoff this September, using the slogan: "A Time to Remember. A Time to Prepare." The campaign seeks to transform awareness into action by encouraging all Americans to take the necessary steps to ensure that their homes, workplaces and communities are prepared for disasters and emergencies of all kinds.  

"As we move forward with planning for this year's events and activities, we also recognize that this September marks the ten year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "By doing what we can to ensure that our communities, and our nation, are prepared to respond and recover from all types of disasters and hazards, we honor the memory of those who were lost that day."

Individuals and groups can now register to become NPM coalition members by visiting http://community.fema.gov. Once registered, members have access to a toolkit that includes suggestions for activities and events, templates, articles, banners and customizable materials. Coalition members also have access to an events calendar allowing them to post and promote preparedness events, share success stories, and participate in national and regional discussion forums to engage with fellow coalition members and FEMA representatives.

By hosting events, promoting volunteer programs and sharing emergency preparedness information, coalition members can help ensure that their communities are prepared for emergencies. Becoming a coalition member is easy and free, so register now to get started. Nearly 2,000 coalition members have already joined this year's campaign.

While NPM is held each September, FEMA's Ready Campaign promotes individual emergency preparedness at home, in the workplace, and throughout America's communities throughout the year. Ready is a national campaign, produced in partnership with The Ad Council, designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to all types of emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.

The Ready Campaign's websites (ready.gov and listo.gov) and toll-free numbers (1-800-BE-READY and 1-888-SE-LISTO) provide free emergency preparedness information and resources available in English and Spanish. Additionally, through FEMA's partnership with the Ad Council, public service announcements are available to increase the American public's involvement in preparedness.

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