They say planning is everything. September is National Preparedness Month. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is raising awareness that everyone should take steps to have a plan in place in the event of an emergency.

See Also: Get organized prior to an emergency or natural disaster

AARP is helping to spread the word to encourage people to prepare for an emergency at home, at school, in your place of work and in your community by having a plan in place. FEMA’s Ready Campaign provides free preparedness information that can help.

As part of the Ready Campaign, you can also sign up to be a National Preparedness Month Coalition Member. It’s free and easy and is open to businesses and organizations as well. As a member, information and ready-to-use templates are provided including ways to connect to other members across the country.

Once you become a member, you can host your own event like a preparedness workshop where you could have a local first responder talk about the importance of preparing. Another idea would be having someone from the American Red Cross provide training on CPR.

Email community@fema.gov for more information.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. This year’s Ready Campaign aims to encourage all Americans to make an emergency preparedness plan. No effort is too small to make a difference, and you can start by having your own emergency preparedness plan. Find more information about volunteer activities in your community.

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