Plan for National Preparedness Month with FEMA Region IX

Hello Preparedness Partner,

I’m Nancy Ward, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Regional Administrator for the Region 9 office and I’d like to introduce myself and congratulate you on taking such an important step towards greater community preparedness.  It seems so simple, but by subscribing to receive email alerts from FEMA you have affirmatively taken the first, and arguably most important, step in emergency preparedness: to be informed. 

As you may know, September is National Preparedness Month, FEMA’s intensive annual preparedness outreach campaign. If you’ve followed the news this year, you’ve seen, heard and read about the devastating wildfires, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes that have devastated many areas of the nation.  Such news is a sobering reminder of how important it is to take steps now that will change, and perhaps save, your life during a disaster.   The theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month is, appropriately, “YOU Can Be the Hero!”.

However, let’s be very clear, the Ready Campaign’s “You Can Be the Hero” theme doesn’t mean we suggest everyone run into burning buildings!  It means that we as individuals and communities must do our part to become safer by following some of the common sense advice on Ready.Gov. 

FEMA encourages citizens to be prepared in the event they must be self-reliant in an emergency for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue.

Preparing starts with four important steps: Be informed Make a plan for what to do in an emergency Build a kit Get involved. To accommodate the ever changing communications universe, FEMA has gone digital with downloadable apps and a wealth of information available on our newly re-vamped FEMA Region 9 website that can help your family prepare now, before the next disaster.

On our Region 9 website you will find a wealth of information that will allow you to connect with our employees directly, find events in your community, request a speaker, and see the latest news about our Region. 

Be sure to sign up for email updates from Region IX today!

I’d also further invite you to join the National Preparedness Community, where you can get and share preparedness event ideas, connect with your peers and emergency management personnel, and get access to other helpful preparedness resources. 

This is where more than 28,000 people connect, share and collaborate on emergency preparedness.  This online community provides the unique opportunity for preparedness leaders, community organizers, and emergency management experts from across the country to discuss emergency preparedness best practices and share how they are working to better prepare their families and communities beyond just National Preparedness Month.

Please take this opportunity to visit many of the resources on our FEMA Region 9 website and become a part of the digital preparedness community so you can be the hero in your community! 

Nancy Ward
Regional Administrator, FEMA Region 9

P.S.  If you aren’t already, follow us on Twitter @FemaRegion9!