WASHINGTON -- The annual Joint Force Headquarters - National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington's Emergency Preparedness Exposition is scheduled for September 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fort Lesley J. McNair's Fitness Center.

Every September, the Army observes National Preparedness Month (NPM), emphasizing the importance of fostering a culture of preparedness to strengthen Soldiers and their families' ability to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond and recover from all emergencies.

NPM is a held each September to emphasize the importance of being prepared for emergencies such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or terrorist attacks.

"Hurricane Sandy proved last year we can be impacted by severe weather or natural events, often with little or no warning," said Lawrence M. Krauser, JFHQ-NCR/MDW emergency management specialist and EXPO coordinator. At this years' EXPO, we are presenting our Emergency Preparedness Initiative, which will be a year-long preparedness campaign to get all of us, our families, and our offices better prepared for any natural hazard," said Krauser.

According to the Ready Army's website, the Army continues its proactive campaign to increase the resilience of the Army community and enhance the readiness of the force by informing Soldiers, their Families, Army Civilians and contractors of relevant hazards and encouraging them to "Be Informed, Make A Plan, Build a Kit and Get Involved."

"Get informed!" said Krauser. "I am asking our participating agencies to bring methods for our people to get the information they need to get themselves and their families prepared."

Through outreach and education, Ready Army calls our Army community to action and aims to create a culture of preparedness that will save lives and strengthen the nation.

"When you know your family is prepared you can concentrate on your job, our mission, and helping the overall NCR community," said Krauser.