National Preparedness Month 2010

What is it'

National Preparedness Month begins September 1st. It is a month long campaign that will increase awareness of ways persons can be prepared for any eventuality be it natural or man-made. It encourages the entire Army community to ensure they are ready by having a plan in place and a "kit" of supplies in case of potential disaster. It also highly recommends that Soldiers and their families stay informed by becoming familiar with their local first responders' disaster action plans for the schools, churches, businesses, hospitals and other entities in their surrounding communities.

What has the Army done'

Just this past August the first ever Antiterrorism Awareness Month was held urging Soldiers, their families, civilians and contractors to be aware of, and prepared for, terrorist activities. On the heels of the resounding success of that campaign, the Army is actively promoting the readiness messages throughout the Army community when it comes to preparedness for disasters. The Army has instituted the Ready Army campaign whose motto is "Get a Kit; Make a Plan; Stay Informed." The campaign aims to create a culture and a mindset of preparedness throughout the Army and in everything we do.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future'

The Army will continue to place emphasis on preparedness through grassroots campaigns using all traditional forms of dissemination and through social media outlets. Local outreach events, practice drills and school activities are also planned at various installations.

Why is this important to the Army'

During the high operations tempo of today it is sometimes easy to forget about day-to-day home life activities once back from deployments. But the Army wants to keep Soldiers and their families ready, prepared and safe whether deployed or in garrison. A ready Army is a strong Army and with the peace of mind that comes with being prepared, a Soldier is fit to fight!

References:

<a href="http://www.acsim.army.mil/readyarmy/" target="_blank"> Ready Army website</a>

<a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/npm10/index.html" target="_blank"> National Preparedness Month website</a>