National Preparedness Month — September 2015

Weekly

September 11, 2015 / 64(35);965

Throughout September, CDC and more than 3,000 organizations (including national, regional, and local governments, as well as private and public institutions) will support emergency preparedness efforts and encourage U.S. residents to take action to become more prepared for emergencies. For Preparedness Month 2015 (1), CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response plans to focus on the importance of community resilience.

A resilient community is one that can withstand, adapt, and quickly recover from events while minimizing negative health impacts. Building a strong, resilient community requires preparedness efforts at all levels, starting at home with the family, and expanding to include neighborhoods, workplaces and schools, travel plans, and online communities.

Following the theme of community resilience, CDC's Public Health Matters (2) blog will feature stories about sheltering with children, Los Angeles County discussions on community preparedness, a medication dispensing exercise in Virginia, a world traveler's take on preparedness when on the move, and a look at using online networks in emergencies. Preparedness Month will also feature the release of the reports in this issue of MMWR, infographics, social media messages, and a Twitter Chat on community resilience on September 16. The month will culminate in the PrepareAthon's National Day of Action (3) on September 30. Additional information about CDC's Preparedness Month activities is available at http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/preparedness_month.htm.