The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
Today marks the first National Day of Action as part of America’s PrepareAthon!), a community-based campaign to build a more secure and resilient nation by getting people to think about the disasters that could happen in their communities and to take action to increase their preparedness.
Today marks the first National Day of Action as part of America’s PrepareAthon!, a community-based campaign to build a more secure and resilient nation by getting people to think about the disasters that could happen in their communities and to take action to increase their preparedness.
Actions include signing up for mobile alerts and warnings; holding a preparedness discussion to emphasize the steps you, your family, friends, colleagues, and community should take to be ready should a disaster occur; and conducting a drill so people are familiar with what to do beforehand.
Join over five million participants who have registered to take part! Here at the White House, we're holding a preparedness training for employees to learn how they can prepare themselves, their loved ones, and others. Joining us will be Owlie Skywarn, the National Weather Service mascot who helps promote severe weather education and safety.
All across the nation, individuals, workplaces, schools, institutions of higher education, houses of worship, community-based organizations, states, and local governments have embraced America’s PrepareAthon! by planning events that inspire people to get more prepared in the event of a wildfire, hurricane, tornado, or flood. Below are some events happening around the country, including a few that you can join virtually.
Nationwide
#Petpared Twitter Challenge – Complete pet preparedness actions, like creating a pet emergency kit and taking pets on an emergency drill. After finishing, take a picture of your pet and yourself and tweet it with the hashtag #Petpared by April 30.
State Governments
Colorado Federal Employee PrepareAthon! Exercise – All federal agencies in Colorado will participate in a tornado and evacuation drill on April 30.
Local Governments
Jefferson County Lunch and Learn Session – Jefferson County, West Virginia, is hosting a “lunch and learn” session on personal financial preparedness for national disasters on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Community Organizations
Finger Lakes Disaster Volunteer Campaign (Rochester, NY) – Finger Lakes Regional Volunteer Center will kick off a nine-county virtual event to recruit non-medical disaster volunteers on April 30.
Red Cross Community Presentation (Culver City, CA) – Community ambassadors for the American Red Cross will be hosting a quarterly meeting to discuss community support for the Red Cross mission to prepare, respond, and recover from disaster on April 30 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Private Sector
Local AM Radio Station Hosts Preparedness Talk – WINY1350 in Putnam, Connecticut will host a one-hour presentation on preparedness education. Listeners will be encouraged to join MRC, CERT, Red Cross, local EM, and volunteer EMS/Fire Departments. The presentation will air on April 30 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center National Preparedness Awareness – Brookdale will educate staff, communities, patients and their families of the importance of being prepared in an emergency and provide handouts on disaster planning and family emergency planning on April 30.
The PrepareAthon! campaign is directed as part of President Obama’s Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness. Occurring twice yearly in the spring and fall, PrepareAthon! will provide a recurring opportunity for government agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, corporations, communities, and individuals of all ages to practice concrete actions through drills, group discussions, and exercises for relevant local hazards to increase preparedness and build more resilient communities.
- Be Smart: Know your hazards in your community. Download guides to learn how to prepare.
- Take Part: Plan activities and host an event.
- Prepare: Practice a drill or have a discussion about preparedness. Participation can include being a part of community emergency planning, hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises.
It’s not too late to participate in America’s PrepareAthon! at www.ready.gov/prepare and stay tuned into the discussion on Twitter by following @PrepareAthon.
