National Preparedness Month: Get Involved

Published on September 25, 2023

Week Four: Get Involved

During disaster response, affected communities depend heavily on local and national volunteer organizations to provide trained volunteers and much-needed donated supplies. Getting involved not only helps with your individual preparedness, but it also helps build community resiliency as well!

• Join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program and get trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
• During a disaster, you can donate to a reputable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD), and volunteer to respond to disasters and help your community.

You can also help save countless lives by taking simple actions to prepare your community or organization for a disaster before one strikes. FEMA offers free trainings and education tools to train yourself and others on the best ways to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster or emergency.

• You Are the Help Until Help Arrives, designed by FEMA, are offered as online or in-person trainings where you learn the basics of how to save a life before a professional arrives.
• Teach preparedness curriculum in your school or childcare facility. Download everything you need for grades K-12 through our Ready Kids program.
• Promote preparedness online by sharing preparedness tips on your social media accounts with Ready’s online social media toolkit or public service announcements.
• Take a free online independent study course through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute or a CPR course through the American Red Cross and gain more knowledge to help your community become more prepared.

About National Preparedness Month