Readiness - It's a state of preparedness AND a state of mind. But one cannot be mentally prepared if not physically prepared, trained, and equipped for sudden exigencies.

“I didn’t think it was gonna be as bad as it was, to be honest. I didn’t think that if we lost power, it would be as long as we actually lost power.”

These are just a few of the words used by Chantel, a survivor of Hurricane Sandy, to describe her experience in the  “It Started Like Any Other Day” survivor video.

Chantel, along with other disaster survivors from across the country, share their stories to communicate the urgency and importance of being prepared. The video focuses on three stories from three public officials who dealt with a hurricane, a tornado and a wildfire. It emphasizes the following key messages:

  • Natural disasters are just that - natural - and inevitable;
  • Natural disasters affect everyone - they can and do happen to anyone;
  • Preparation for natural disasters is vital; and
  • Every individual and family needs to do their part to prepare.

You never know when disaster will strike. Neither did Chantel, Abby, or Adam. Meet three survivors from three recent natural disasters: Hurricane Sandy; the Moore, Oklahoma tornado; and the Poinsettia Wildfire outside of San Diego. Watch their stories and then log on to www.ready.gov/prepare for more information on what you can do to prepare you and your family. Whether your concern is weather or another Disaster - Be Ready! Be Smart. Take Part. Prepare. #PrepareAthon #NatlPrep Read about Drought, Earthquakes, Extreme Heat, Floods, Hurricanes, Landslides, Debris Flow, Severe Weather, Space Weather, Thunderstorms, Lightning, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Wildfires, Winter Storms, Extreme Cold.

Remember - National PrepareAthon! Day is September 30.

Don’t miss all our great Disaster Preparedness Articles, Tips, Survival Plans, Guides and Emergency Preparedness Recommendations in the National Preparedness Month Blog

Share what you learned after viewing the video on Twitter by using #PrepareAthon and/or #NatlPrep. We look forward to a continuing national dialogue about preparedness.