September Preview: National Preparedness Month

Posted by Sarah Levin-Lederer on August 24th, 2026 Posted in: Blog
Tags: Emergency Preparedness (EPP), resources

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September is National Preparedness Month and a great time to get resources and plans in place to prepare, respond and recover in case of an emergency.

Emergencies can be thought of in three phases:

• Plan: What are you doing to be ready in case of an emergency?
• Respond: If an emergency happens, how are you reacting?
• Recover: Once the emergency has passed, what are you doing to get back on your feet?

Plan

Do you know the most common emergencies where you are and what to do?

• Disaster Preparedness and Recovery (MedlinePlus)
• Winter Weather Emergencies (MedlinePlus)
• Winter Weather (ready.gov)
• Heat Illness (MedlinePlus)
• Extreme Heat (ready.gov)
• Floods (MedlinePlus)
• Flooding (ready.gov)
• Home Fires (ready.gov)
• Power Outages (ready.gov)

Respond

Do you have what you need ready to go if you need to evacuate or shelter in place?

• Build a kit (ready.gov)
• Evacuation (ready.gov)
• Shelter (ready.gov)

Do you know how to communicate during an emergency? Do you know where to get information?

• Emergency alerts (ready.gov)
• Fillable family communication form (ready.gov)

Recover

Do you have the documents, phone numbers, and resources you need to help in the recovery process?

• Recovering from Disaster (ready.gov)
• Recovery Resources (FEMA)

Emergencies and disasters can take a tool on people’s mental health. Do you know the signs? Do you have the resources to help?

• Coping with Disasters (MedlinePlus)
• Disaster Distress Helpline (SAMHSA)

Help Your Community

• Get involved to help in an emergency with trusted resources and organizations.
• Share resources in languages other than English with Ready in Your Language (ready.gov).
• Get kids involved in the process with Ready Kids (ready.gov).

Resources from NNLM

Join Regions 1 and 2 for a slate of classes highlighting a variety of resources for National Preparedness Month. Check out the linked classes for full descriptions, objectives, and information about available CEs.

• September 3, 2pm-3pm ET: Informal Weather Education Outreach
• September 18, 1:30pm-2:30pm ET: Severe Weather Engagement: A New Resource from The Healing Library
• September 22, 2pm-3pm ET: Heat, Health, and Disasters: The Role of Libraries
• September 23, 11am-noon ET: Ready NOW: A Framework for Disaster Response in Libraries
• September 24, 2pm-3pm ET: What the Thermometer Misses: Heat Risk Perception and Trusted Intermediaries

Find additional resources on the NNLM Emergency and Disaster Resources Guide.

Find books, discussion guides and resources to help stimulate conversation in your community from the NNLM Reading Club’s Disaster and Emergency Resource