September is Family Preparedness Month!

Pledge to Prepare

September is Family Preparedness Month in Iowa. This year, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD), Safeguard Iowa Partnership (SIP) and Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) are partnering to encourage Iowans to be more prepared for emergencies and disasters.

This year’s Family Preparedness Month theme is “Pledge to Prepare,” and HSEMD, SIP and IEMA are asking Iowans to pledge to take simple actions to help them be better prepared. Actions can be as easy as setting up weather alerts on a mobile phone, assembling an emergency supply kit for a pet or holding a family meeting to discuss what members would do during an emergency inside or outside of their home.

In addition to the evident benefits of being better prepared, those who take the pledge can also enter a contest to win great prizes, including gift certificates and emergency supplies. There will be two ways to win:

o Families and individuals will be able to record and submit a video showing and telling how they are taking the pledge to prepare; and

o Families and individuals will be able to enter a prize drawing by submitting their written pledge.

Beginning Sept. 4, Iowans can download the pledge and learn how they can enter the “Pledge to Prepare” contest and drawing.