The Ready Campaign established four universal building blocks of emergency preparedness: Be informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit, and Get Involved. America’s PrepareAthon! builds on this foundation by encouraging millions of Americans to focus on a simple, specific activity that will increase preparedness.

America’s PrepareAthon! a new national community-based campaign for action that focuses on increasing emergency preparedness through hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises. National PrepareAthon! Days are held every spring and fall. During National Preparedness Month we ask you, your family, community and workplace to take action by planning aNational PrepareAthon! Day on or around September 30th. We recommend using digital media tools as a way to promote National Preparedness Month, September 1st-30th.

The 2014 National Preparedness Month theme is: “Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare”

Getting Started

• How to Get Involved in NPM Quick Guide
• Join the National Preparedness Community and download the high resolution NPM logo
• Promote NPM by updating your Facebook and Twitter cover photo and profile image
• Download the 2014 National Preparedness Month Digital Engagement Toolkit
• For tips and information about NPM visit: www.ready.gov/september
  Spanish: www.ready.gov/es/septiembre
• Register for National PrepareAthon! Day: www.ready.gov/prepare
• Join the National Preparedness Month Thunderclap on August 20th
• Use the hashtag #NatlPrep and encourage your followers to do the same.
• Add images and videos to your messages that highlight your participation, event or tell a story. Images can be moving and more engaging than words.
• Start the conversation several weeks before you plan a National PrepareAthon! Day event. Promote the details of the event, as well as actions your audience can take.