September is National Preparedness Month.

FEMA, The Federal Emergency Management Agency, stresses preparing before disasters happen so that you are ready in the event of an emergency. The month of September will have a different theme every week including Make and Practice Your Plan, Learn Life Saving Skills, Check Your Coverage, and Save For an Emergency. Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen talked about planning for an emergency event. “One of the big things is having a plan. You know your family and where they might be during a day. So if a tornado hits now versus a month ago, your kids are at school now, they weren’t a month ago. Time of day? How do you get reunited with your family? Where are you going to go after the fact? One of the other big things is having an emergency kit.

September 15th has also been designated as National Day of Action. To find out more about National Preparedness Month visit ready.gov or contact the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.