National Preparedness Month

Date Published: August 28, 2024

National Preparedness Month — also known as September Safety Month or Disaster Preparedness Month — is an annual campaign held in September. It is dedicated to empowering individuals, families, businesses, and communities with the knowledge and resources they need to respond to and recover from emergencies.

Responding when minutes matter requires you to have not only the tools to respond, like first aid kits, but also the skills, like First Aid and CPR training.

History of National Preparedness Month

The origin of National Preparedness Month can be traced back to the tragic events and aftermath of September 11, 2001. Following these events, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized the critical need for increased emergency preparedness. FEMA then collaborated with various partners to launch the National Preparedness Month campaign in 2004.

National Preparedness Month gained momentum in 2006 when FEMA and the Ad Council developed the “Ready” campaign. The campaign offered powerful messaging and widespread reach, playing a significant role in educating and motivating Americans to prepare for emergencies. It contributed to the overall goal of National Preparedness Month.

Since its start, National Preparedness Month has evolved into a collaborative effort among government agencies, nonprofits, schools, businesses, and communities. The combined efforts guarantee that everyone is included and part of a more significant effort to promote preparedness.

During National Preparedness Month, events like emergency preparedness workshops, community emergency response drills, educational resources, and preparedness guides are available to help people better prepare. Here’s how you can get prepared during National Preparedness Month and be ready when disaster strikes.

Learn CPR and First Aid

Knowing CPR and first aid helps you recognize the signs that someone needs help and the skills to tend to them. CPR and first aid training skills are important for individual and community emergency preparedness—these lifesaving skills allow you to make informed decisions and increase survival rates. During an emergency, CPR and first aid training help you in various ways.

• Act swiftly. In an emergency, every minute counts. Knowing CPR allows you to act swiftly and provide lifesaving support to a person during cardiac arrest. For injuries like life-threatening bleeding, burns or fractures, first aid training encourages you to stabilize the victim and prevent their condition from getting worse.
• Protect the community. During natural disasters or large-scale emergencies, medical help might not be immediately available. Knowing and providing CPR and first aid increases the community’s resilience and readiness to handle the situation.
• Prevent complications. Administering first aid helps to prevent infections, reduce pain, and alleviate the severity of the injury. Consider a broken bone—knowing how to immobilize the fracture may help to prevent skeletal, neurological and soft tissue damage. In a cardiac arrest, administering CPR may reduce the risk of brain damage or disability and can triple the chance of survival.

Being prepared for an emergency means not just knowing what to do but how to do it. Learn CPR and first aid this Preparedness Month so you’re ready for whatever emergency may arise.

Know How to Prepare for an Emergency

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the American Red Cross is hosting several LinkedIn Lives focused on National Preparedness Month ideas. From basic first aid to business continuity in a disaster, we’ve covered September Safety Month topics to help you get prepared during National Preparedness Month.

September Safety Month Topics

National Preparedness Month is not just about individual preparedness — it’s about empowering a culture of readiness across communities. Preparing for disasters saves countless lives, speeds up people's recovery, and saves money.

Here are a few National Preparedness Month ideas to get involved and empower a culture of readiness this September safety month.

• Volunteer for emergency response organizations.
• Participate in preparedness events.
• Take an emergency preparedness training program.
• Learn CPR and first aid.
• Get a first aid kit from the Red Cross Store.
• Make an emergency preparedness plan.
• Download the Red Cross Emergency Preparedness or First Aid app.
• Share preparedness resources.

Together, we can build a more prepared and resilient nation, one National Preparedness Month at a time.