National Preparedness Month: Raising Awareness for Natural Disasters and Emergencies

National Preparedness Month is an annual observance that encourages you to consider potential emergencies and prepare by learning where safe places are for evacuation and discussing plans with your family. Emergencies are often unexpected, and some — such as wildfires, earthquakes or floods — can happen without warning and leave you little time to react. Preparing in advance may help improve safety and reduce potential costs from damages.

National Preparedness Month, an annual observance in September, promotes learning more about potential disasters and emergencies, along with how to be better prepared for them.

Homeowners should read on to learn more about National Preparedness Month, including ideas for being proactive about potential emergencies and tips for keeping you and your family safe.

On This Page

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  What Is National Preparedness Month?

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  Why Emergency Preparedness Matters More Than Ever

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  How Home Insurance Supports Disaster Preparedness

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  How To Plan and Equip for National Preparedness Month

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  What To Do After a Disaster

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  National Preparedness Month at a Glance

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  How To Review Your Home Insurance Policy During National Preparedness Month

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  Frequently Asked Questions

What Is National Preparedness Month?

National Preparedness Month is an annual government campaign that promotes better preparedness for emergencies such as natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.^[1] In addition to encouraging disaster readiness, the observance also provides an opportunity to discuss preparedness with families and community members and share tools and techniques to stay safe.

When Is National Preparedness Month?

Each year, September is National Preparedness Month, giving people a full month to plan and prepare for potential emergencies. The observance takes place in September to honor the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States and because it coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season.^[1][2]

National Preparedness Month History

Following the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created National Preparedness Month in 2004 to raise awareness of emergency scenarios and encourage survival preparations.^[1] Before creating the month-long observance, FEMA introduced the Ready campaign in 2003 to provide resources and tips to help people prepare for various emergencies and discuss planning with family and community members.^[3]

FEMA’s campaign highlights a specific aspect of preparedness during the month-long observance, culminating on Sept. 30 with National Preparedness Day.^[4] For example, in 2026, the campaign encouraged Americans to help their families and communities stay safe with “Americans Stand Ready,” while the 2025 theme, “Preparedness Starts at Home,” promoted understanding disaster risks and preparing for them by creating an action plan and emergency supply kit.^[5][6]

Why Emergency Preparedness Matters More Than Ever

As the effects of climate change become more prominent, natural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing in both frequency and severity nationwide.^[7] Additionally, many weather phenomena have started occurring in areas they normally wouldn’t, such as the eastward drift of Tornado Alley, opening up the potential for severe damage in areas that aren’t used to these types of disasters.^[8] These concerns make emergency planning paramount, now more than ever, even in areas that may not be used to the destructive capabilities of floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Giving people a month to prepare for potential disasters or emergencies can help expedite evacuations and reduce damage to personal property. For example, planning the shortest route to a safe area — such as a shelter during a tornado — can increase evacuation safety and reduce the time needed to leave.^[9] Only 54% of homeowners have an emergency plan developed within the last year, meaning many could benefit from preparing a plan of action.^[10]

Preparedness can also help reduce overall costs. Creating an emergency bag packed with essentials in a sudden evacuation — such as during a fast-moving wildfire — ensures crucial supplies and medications are on hand, which may not be available or may cost more during and after a disaster. Securing your home and belongings in advance can also help reduce potential property damage.

How Home Insurance Supports Disaster Preparedness

Home insurance can help support you in the wake of a disaster by helping cover costs related to rebuilding your home, replacing lost or damaged belongings and additional living expenses if your home is rendered uninhabitable. It can also help cover damage and injuries you’re liable for during a disaster. All of these coverages can provide peace of mind and take a few things off your plate when preparing for disasters.

Some disasters, such as floods, may not be covered by standard home insurance without an endorsement or additional policy.^[11] Review your home insurance policy well ahead of potential disasters, like hurricane or wildfire season, to ensure you have enough coverage.

Dwelling Coverage

Your homeowners insurance will generally cover the physical structure of your house and any structures directly connected to it, such as a garage. This includes internal fixtures like your heating and plumbing systems. This means if a wildfire damages your home and causes a wall to collapse, your home insurance could cover the cost of repairs up to your coverage limits.

Other Structures Coverage

Your home insurance will also typically cover damage to other structures that aren’t directly attached to your home, such as a shed. For example, if high winds from a storm broke your fence, your home insurance could cover the cost of repairing or replacing it. However, other structures coverage limits are typically set at 10% of your dwelling coverage limit, so ensure you have enough coverage to account for potential damage to detached structures.^[12]

Personal Property Coverage

Your home insurance can also cover personal property losses, such as your electronics, furniture, clothing and other belongings. For example, if your home was damaged by a wildfire and you lost your new television set or gaming console, you could be covered for a replacement. However, your personal property coverage limits are typically set at 50 to 70% of your dwelling coverage limits, and expensive items may have sublimits that cap how much you’ll be covered for without purchasing an endorsement.^[12][13]

Liability Protection

Your homeowners insurance typically provides personal liability coverage, which protects you from damage or injuries you’re liable for causing to others. For example, if you fail to secure lawn furniture before a hurricane that gets tossed into someone else’s home, smashing their window and breaking their arm, home insurance could help cover the medical bills and repair costs if you’re found liable. Additionally, it can cover court fees if you’re sued for these damages and injuries, even if you weren’t found to be at fault.^[13][14]

Additional Living Expenses (Loss of Use)

Your home insurance may cover additional living expenses (ALEs), such as hotel stays and restaurant meals, if a covered disaster leaves your home uninhabitable. For example, if a tornado rips through your dwelling and takes off your roof, leaving your home exposed to the elements, loss of use coverage could reimburse you for necessary expenses while your home is being repaired.

How To Plan and Equip for National Preparedness Month

You can plan and equip yourself for potential disasters as part of National Preparedness Month in several ways, including:

• Sign up for emergency alerts through services like the FEMA app to stay informed when a disaster strikes nearby. Follow emergency services on social media to stay up to date on potential and ongoing emergencies.
• Review emergency preparedness tools available on Ready.gov, a government website focused on preparing for natural disasters.
• Develop a family emergency plan with evacuation routes and meeting places. Don’t forget pets, and designate someone to retrieve them if you need to evacuate quickly.
• Practice your preparedness actions, such as meeting at your evacuation point, to ensure you can get there without relying on cellular service or the internet, which may not be available during an emergency.
• Create an emergency kit with essentials, such as first aid supplies, extra batteries, nonperishable food and medications. Set aside an emergency fund to cover unexpected costs during a disaster.
• Create a home inventory of your personal belongings and their value, including copies of receipts for expensive items.
• Get involved in local community preparedness organizations by volunteering, taking a first aid class or donating to support disaster relief and preparedness advocacy.
• Test smoke alarms, clean your gutters and trim tree branches near your home to prevent the potential ignition of your house by a wildfire.
• Inspect your home for potential structural issues and make needed repairs, such as broken roof shingles or pest damage to your foundation.
• Safeguard your home against wildfires and windstorms by upgrading older or less resilient materials.
• If you have forewarning of a disaster, such as an approaching hurricane, secure any loose outdoor furniture and tools that could potentially damage your home or someone else’s property.
• Identify a family member or friend outside the affected area to serve as your communication point. This person can help coordinate with local family members if you become separated.
• Check your insurance coverage limits and verify whether you have any gaps in coverage you need to fill related to certain disasters, such as an earthquake.
• Make preparedness a year-round practice, not a one-month focus, by building habits, learning new skills (such as first aid) and practicing emergency response drills with your family.

What To Do After a Disaster

Below are a few tips on how to keep yourself and your family safe following a disaster:^[15]

• Provide first aid to yourself and family members who may be injured and seek out open medical facilities if it's safe to travel outside. Avoid moving someone who is seriously injured or unconscious unless it's absolutely necessary, and instead call for help to come to you.
• Don’t return home until authorities say it is safe. Downed power lines and hazardous debris may still be present but not easily visible after a severe storm.
• Contact your insurance company as soon as it's safe to return home and document the damage to your property.
• If you have damage that isn’t covered by insurance, contact your local emergency management agency to see if they can help.
• Replace any important state or federal documentation that may have been lost or damaged during a disaster, such as your passport or birth certificate.

National Preparedness Month at a Glance

Below is the essential information you should know about National Preparedness Month:

• Founded in 2004 by FEMA, National Preparedness Month is a national observance in September that encourages learning more about disaster preparedness.
• Natural disasters have increased in both frequency and severity in recent years, and more areas may be impacted by natural disasters than they’re used to.
• Purchasing home insurance can help protect you from various losses in the event of a disaster, although some disasters, like floods and earthquakes, require additional endorsements or policies for coverage.
• Making an emergency plan for different types of disasters can help you prepare for the unexpected, improve your response time and reduce your risk of injury or property loss.
• If you've been forced to evacuate, wait until it's safe to return home, then check your home for damage and document it for an insurance claim.

How To Review Your Home Insurance Policy During National Preparedness Month

Reviewing your insurance policies may reveal gaps in coverage for certain disasters, giving you time to secure critical protection before an emergency. Below are a few things to keep in mind while reviewing your home insurance policy during National Preparedness Month:^[16]

• Check your dwelling coverage limits and ensure they meet or exceed your home's rebuild costs.
• Determine whether you’ll be able to cover your deductible amount in the event of a claim, or whether lowering it is worth the increased premium.
• Review what perils your policy covers to identify gaps.
• Consider purchasing endorsements or additional policies for extra coverage, such as flood and earthquake coverage, and scheduling your personal property.
• Decide whether you want your personal property covered for its actual cash value or replacement cost value.
• See whether you can reduce your monthly premium costs by bundling your insurance or taking advantage of other discounts.
• Shop around with other home insurance companies to ensure you’re getting the best coverage for your needs at an affordable price.