What Is Emergency Preparedness Month?
An annual September campaign that turns readiness into weekly, actionable themes. Here's how individuals, schools, and local governments each take part.
Emergency preparedness is mostly quiet, unglamorous planning done well in advance: a family plan everyone knows, a kit that's actually packed, and enough clean water to get through the first few days.
Clean water is usually the first thing to run short, so our guide to choosing an emergency preparedness water filter is a good first stop. Each September, Emergency Preparedness Month turns readiness into weekly themes for households and schools. Scouts and parents can start with our Emergency Preparedness merit badge overview and the practical guide to earning the BSA merit badge. And if you're curious about the professional side, see what an emergency preparedness coordinator does.
The household basics
- A 72-hour go-bag for each person, including medication and copies of key documents.
- Stored drinking water plus a way to filter or treat more.
- A written family emergency plan with meeting points and contacts.
- A first aid kit and at least one person who knows how to use it.
All Emergency Preparedness guides
Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge: An Overview
A look at what the Scouting America badge actually asks scouts to learn and demonstrate. It mixes household planning with hands-on first aid skills that outlast the badge itself.
BSA Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge: Getting Started
The practical side of earning this badge — finding a counselor, pacing the work, and avoiding the most common bottleneck. Most scouts get held up on the family-plan step, not the first aid demo.
What Does an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Do?
The role behind the scenes that makes evacuations and emergency response look smooth. Mostly planning, drills, and after-action reviews rather than active response work.
Water Filters for Emergency Preparedness: What to Look For
Clean water is usually the first thing to run short in an emergency. Here's what portable filters actually remove, and how to pick one that matches your household.
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