September is National Preparedness Month

Today is the start of National Preparedness Month. Throughout September, government agencies, business, community groups, schools, and families will be participating in events to help promote disaster preparedness and community resilience. These events across the state, many of which are open to the public, will be posted by the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) on our social media feeds and website. You can follow us @MDMEMA, on Facebook, and at our website http://mema.maryland.gov.

Did you know September is right in the middle of hurricane season? Now is a great time to check and see if you and your family are prepared for emergencies. The four building blocks of preparedness are: Be informed, Make a plan, Build a kit, and Get Involved. Discover disaster-specific information on our website, so you can be informed, make a plan for you and your family, build a kit for emergencies, and learn about ways to get involved. There is an interactive planning tool in the MARYLAND Prepares mobile app, which is available to download for free on both Android and Apple platforms. It is easy to complete, will be in your pocket at all times, and also includes real-time alerts for emergencies, weather, and traffic. 

Here’s another way to get involved: join us for our first town hall-style Twitter chat. On September 15 at 12:00pm EDT, we will be chatting live with our followers and friends on Twitter using the hashtag #MDPrepares. Feel free to add to the discussion or ask us your emergency preparedness questions.

We’ve seen the impact that major disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, can have on our state and country. Our preparedness efforts can help reduce the impact of these disasters, so remember, “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare!” and by Marylanders becoming better prepared, you can help make Maryland resilient.