Since 2004, FEMA’s Ready Campaign has hosted National Preparedness Month (NPM) during the month of September. This year, the IAEM hosted the first-ever National Emergency Management Awareness Month (NEMAM) in the month of August. As these months slide into our rearview mirror, it is worth taking a peek under the hood to assess value.
FEMA/Ready NPM
Background
The first week I worked at FEMA in 2008 I questioned why the preparedness campaign was branded apart from FEMA, with a different name and separate website. You can find references to FEMA on the Ready website if you enter “FEMA” into the search bar. But there is no reference on the home page and no link back to FEMA either. On the FEMA website, when you scroll down, there is a button called “Get Ready for Disasters” that takes you to the Ready Campaign website, but it is not clear that the word “Ready” is anything more than an adjective, instead of a campaign. I have spoken to countless people, even in emergency management, who have not known that Ready is completely owned and managed by FEMA. I think it is a missed opportunity. Ready has a strong reputation; FEMA does not (for a variety of reasons,, some fair, many not). It is ironic that the branding campaign fails to realize this window to enhance FEMA’s reputation.
Before I dig into NPM 2025, I want to be eminently clear – I am a huge fan of Ready.gov, including the vast array of materials and the FEMA employees who work so hard to promote preparedness. Preparedness saves lives.
Key Actions
The NPM 2025 campaign focuses on four key actions: Know your risk, Make a family emergency plan, Build an emergency supply kit, and Get involved in your community. President Trump’s Message on National Preparedness Month, describes the focus in five key actions, “… having a plan in place before a crisis strikes. The Administration encourages every citizen to sign up for alerts on their mobile devices, set aside savings for emergencies, prepare a disaster supply kit, and speak with their children on how to best respond to emergencies.” There is some commonality here, but not consistency. Any strategic communicator knows that messages must be consistent to be effective. One of the four pillars of Ready is to get involved in your community. The President’s message does not include that but does include signing up for alerts and setting aside emergency funds. Which is it? I think all of the actions are important, but consistency would make them more effective.
Messages and Timing
What I do not believe is effective are the tired and worn-out messages about having a plan and building a kit. Many years ago, while working at FEMA, I read a report that statistically over a fifteen-year period, there was no discernible increase in people having a plan or a kit. I grant that my information is dated, but I would be surprised to learn that suddenly people started acting on this, and if they did, wouldn’t FEMA and Ready be boasting about their success? I think it is time to reconsider the campaign and focus more on self-reliance for those who can, so emergency responders can focus on those who cannot.
It is also worth having a dialogue about whether September is the best month or not. This has been a long-standing debate. But I have heard countless state and local officials raise two strong arguments against it: 1) it falls in the peak of hurricane season, and 2) it is the last month of the fiscal budget cycle when it is the most difficult to commit resources.
Promotion
Often, through July and August, I clicked on the Ready.gov website to try to find the 2025 campaign materials. It was only near the very end of August that it finally launched. This has been a consistent problem. For years, while I was with FEMA, I urged them to publish materials at least 30 days out. This gives states and locals time to co-brand, print, and distribute. They have all year to get ready for helping others get ready. We can do better.
In August, I reached out to someone I knew in FEMA to connect me to whoever is in charge of the NPM 2025 campaign. I was told to email the generic in-box of fema-iga@fema.dhs.gov. I emailed that address on August 27 with this message: “Hi, I am representing a handful of associations that would like to support NPM. Can you connect me in a reply to this email to the FEMA lead for Ready.Gov so we can meet each other and look for a mutual time to discuss NPM?” I am a former senior FEMA official, a strategic communicator, and a coalition builder, and I have written columns favorably about FEMA since. I did not receive a reply.
I did not receive a reply.
Let that sink in. Ready promotes a campaign. An avid supporter, who was working with a handful of associations, reaches out to offer help. No reply.
I want to stress again; I do not blame the employees. FEMA is not as transparent as it used to be. Many employees want to engage the public more and are denied the right to do so. The current leadership at FEMA have eliminated several programs. But not NPM. So why have it, if you are not going to do it right? I checked. FEMA did not publish a single news release on NPM 2025. No blog. No podcast. No fact sheet. No press briefing.
All that aside, I also fully support every other aspect of Ready.Gov. The plethora of tools, templates, videos, talking points, and graphics are wildly helpful to this nation’s preparedness.
I cannot fully evaluate the effectiveness of NPM 2025 because FEMA has not released any form of analysis or lessons learned. Perhaps the next few weeks will prove me wrong, but I will not be holding my breath.
IAEM’s National Emergency Management Awareness Month (NEMAM)
August 2025 marked a significant milestone in the field of emergency management with the inaugural National Emergency Management Awareness Month (NEMAM), a nationwide initiative led by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). This observance aimed to elevate the visibility of emergency management professionals and underscore the critical role they play in safeguarding communities. August was specifically chosen because Congress was in recess, making meetings with elected officials easier.
Widespread Participation and Community Engagement
Throughout the month, communities across the United States engaged in various activities to raise awareness about emergency management. While specific statistics on participation are still being compiled, the initiative saw a broad range of events, including:
- Proclamations by governors and local officials recognizing NEMAM, such as in Oregon, where Governor Tina Kotek officially proclaimed August 2025 as National Emergency Management Awareness Month.
- Educational outreach programs in schools and community centers to inform the public about disaster preparedness and the role of emergency managers.
- Collaborations between emergency management agencies and local media to disseminate information on emergency preparedness.
Advocacy and Policy Support
NEMAM also served as a platform for advocating for policies that support disaster resilience and preparedness. Emergency managers took the opportunity to meet with elected officials, participate in public forums, and engage with the media to highlight the importance of investing in emergency management infrastructure and resources.
Like Ready, IAEM shared a variety of resources to help participants recognize and promote the month. Unlike Ready, IAEM published a national press release, identified specific ways to get involved and actively encouraged participation, provided videos and webinars, and sought registered accomplishments.
IAEM defined the “why” of the event. Protect lives. Protect Budgets. Protect Trust.
Looking Ahead
The success of the inaugural NEMAM sets a strong foundation for future observances. While specific metrics on reach and outcomes are still being assessed, the widespread participation and engagement throughout August 2025 demonstrate a collective commitment to recognizing and supporting the essential work of emergency management professionals. We do know some metrics already. Facebook: 120,609 views and more than 56,000 reach. LinkedIn: 64,613 impressions and 11,849 clicks. Instagram: 60,000 views, 2,041 interactions, and a launch video that generated 126,000 views. Social media is not always a reliable indicator, but in this case, the entire campaign was about awareness, and these numbers demonstrate success. More importantly, 80% of respondents reported engaging in specific activities, including local government proclamations (43%) and community outreach events (30%). That is effective outreach by any measure.
As IAEM moves forward, it is crucial to continue building on this momentum, fostering collaboration across sectors, and advocating for policies that enhance community resilience. The observance of National Emergency Management Awareness Month has proven to be an effective means of elevating the profession and ensuring that emergency management remains a priority in safeguarding our communities. For more information and resources visit National Emergency Management Awareness Month.
Conclusion
This isn’t a contest between Ready and IAEM, nor is it a contest between NPM and NEMAM. Whenever, wherever, and however we can engage individuals and communities to better prepare is a good thing. Protecting and promoting emergency managers is a good thing. In all cases, investing in after-action analysis and lessons learned is the key to measured growth. IAEM has is engaged in that process. FEMA leadership? Crickets.
Dan Stoneking is the Owner and Principal of Stoneking Strategic Communications, the Author of Cultivate Your Garden: Crisis Communications from 30,000 Feet to Three Feet, the Founder and Vice President of the Emergency Management External Affairs Association, and an Adjunct Professor in the Communications Department at West Chester University.
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