(TLP:CLEAR) FEMA Kicks Off National Preparedness Month 2026

Summary: Every September, FEMA’s Ready Campaign celebrates National Preparedness Month. This yearly observance is meant to build awareness around the value of being ready for natural disasters and other emergencies, which can strike without warning. Throughout the month, government agencies and various organizations remind their partners about free resources available to help them stay protected and build stronger operational resilience.

The theme for National Preparedness Month 2026—Americans Stand Ready—empowers individuals to take charge of their own readiness. According to FEMA, this year’s theme highlights that preparedness is a civic responsibility and patriotic duty. It also celebrates the self-reliant, resourceful spirit of the American people. In the face of disasters like tornadoes, wildfires and hurricanes, Americans can take simple, practical steps to keep themselves and their families safe. By proactively preparing, Americans make the nation stronger and more resilient. 

Throughout National Preparedness Month, FEMA’s Ready Campaign will celebrate and encourage American resourcefulness by sharing simple, affordable steps to take to prepare for emergency contingencies, which include:

• Make a plan for your household, including your pets, so that you and your family know what to do, where to go and what you will need to protect yourselves during a disaster. Consider the unique risks where you live and the needs of your family. Know where you’ll go if you need to leave your home, and learn your evacuation routes so you can get there safely.
• Be in the know. Sign up for your community’s warning system. Disasters can happen suddenly, so it’s important to have multiple ways to get alerts. The Emergency Alert System and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
• Build a kit. We know how to keep our loved ones safe when things go wrong, but do you have what you need to stay safe and comfortable until help arrives? You may think building a well-stocked emergency kit is difficult or expensive, but it doesn’t need to be. You can gather supplies over time, starting with items you may already have at home like canned food and first aid supplies. Visit ready.gov/kit for a list of items to include and how to tailor your kit to meet your family’s needs.

FEMA encourages every American to celebrate National Preparedness Month this September by visiting Ready.gov for updated resources and to learn how to start their disaster preparedness journey.

Analyst Note: The heightened risk of extreme weather events serves as an important reminder for the importance of conducting preparedness activities to help strengthen organizational resilience, allowing an organization to more effectively respond and recover, in the event of a natural hazard or other emergency situation. FEMA also offers its PrepToolkit, which is an online portal that provides emergency managers and public safety officials with tools to help them implement all six areas of the National Preparedness System.

Additionally, EPA’s Office of Water and Emergency Response (OWERC) Water Resilience webpage has many free tools and resources on a variety of topics related to water resilience that utilities can review. In particular, OWERC’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Program is intended to help water and wastewater utilities strengthen their resilience to natural hazards and disasters. Lastly, CISA offers resilience services and resources for free to critical infrastructure organizations across the country.

Original Source: https://www.ready.gov/stand-ready

Additional Reading:

• EPA – Drinking Water and Wastewater Resilience
• CISA – Resilience Services

Related WaterISAC PIRs: 16, 17, & 18