(Salisbury, NC)– September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). The National Day of Action is September 30, 2014. USDA’s Farm Service Agency has committed to participate in America’s PrepareAthon in September in order to increase preparedness throughout the U.S. The event, now in its tenth year, is a nationwide, month-long effort hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, encouraging households, businesses and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies. FSA is participating this year by sharing helpful tips to educate the local community on the importance of being prepared for emergencies.

One of NPM’s key messages is: be prepared in the event an emergency causes you to be self-reliant for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue. Preparing can start with four important steps:

1. Stay Informed: Information is available from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial resources. Access the Ready.gov website to learn what to do before, during, and after an emergency.

2. Make a Plan: Discuss, agree on, and document an emergency plan with those in your care. For sample plans, visit the Ready.gov. website. Work together with neighbors, colleagues, and others to build community resilience.

3. Build a Kit: Keep enough emergency supplies – water, nonperishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, and battery-powered radio on hand – for you and those in your care.

4. Get Involved: There are many ways to get involved especially before a disaster occurs. The whole community can participate in programs and activities to make their families, homes and places of worship safer from risks and threats. Community leaders agree that the formula for ensuring a safer homeland consists of volunteers, a trained and informed public, and increased support of emergency response agencies during disasters.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan.

For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit http://www.ready.gov/be-inform or call 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO, and TTY 1-800-462-7585.