September is National Preparedness Month. As part of its focus on community education and preparation, FEMAoffers a “Family Emergency Communications Plan” to help families work out their communication strategies in the event of an emergency. ARRL is partnering with FEMA to offer this material to interested Amateur Radio clubs that are willing to present it in their localities during National Preparedness Month. While the FEMA presentation focuses on the Family Communications Plan and doesn’t specifically mention ham radio, the material offers Amateur Radio clubs a great opportunity to raise their visibility in their communities.

A webinar with FEMA Region 1 Preparedness Liaison Sara Varela will take place on Tuesday, August 23, at 8 PM EDT (Wednesday, August 24, at 0000 UTC), to offer background and training for any club wishing to present FEMA’s Family Emergency Communications Plan material in September.

Registration is requested. The presentation of the FEMA material to local communities should take approximately 1 hour. It will include a PowerPoint presentation and links to worksheets that families can discuss and fill out together.

Clubs are free to offer additional presentations on their activities following presentation of the FEMA material.