(Glen Burnie, MD) - The Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is proud to recognize the month of September as National Preparedness Month 2025, joining the nationwide campaign to encourage american families, individuals, communities and businesses to take small steps now to make a big difference in being prepared.
This year's theme, Preparedness Starts at Home, focuses on getting back to the essentials of preparedness, highlighting four key actions you can take to prepare for any disaster you may face:
- Know your risk
- Know what could happen where you and your family live. This helps you figure out what you need to do to stay safe. You can explore various Disaster Prevention & Mitigation tips at: https://www.aacounty.org/emergency-management/disaster-mitigation
- Know what could happen where you and your family live. This helps you figure out what you need to do to stay safe. You can explore various Disaster Prevention & Mitigation tips at: https://www.aacounty.org/emergency-management/disaster-mitigation
- Make a family emergency plan
- Disasters are costly but preparing for them doesn’t have to be. Taking time to prepare now can help save you thousands of dollars and give you peace of mind when the next disaster or emergency occurs. Visit https://www.aacounty.org/emergency-management/disaster-preparedness to see how you can be better prepared.
- Disasters are costly but preparing for them doesn’t have to be. Taking time to prepare now can help save you thousands of dollars and give you peace of mind when the next disaster or emergency occurs. Visit https://www.aacounty.org/emergency-management/disaster-preparedness to see how you can be better prepared.
- Build an emergency supply kit
- Having enough food, water, and medicine can help you stay safe and comfortable until help arrives. Having what you need can also prevent injury and damage to your home.
- Go to https://www.aacounty.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/my-guide-emergency-preparedness.pdf to learn how to build an emergency kit and go-bag with all the essentials you might need, so you don’t need to scramble in an evacuation situation.
- Get involved in your community by taking action to prepare for emergencies
- Emergencies can happen fast, and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You can learn these steps when you take a first aid class through many organizations in your community, including OEM
- Join Anne Arundel County and City of Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team and get trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. https://www.aaacert.org/ for more information.
“We want the members of our community to use September as an opportunity to take advantage of what the Office of Emergency Management has to offer, and make that essential first step into being prepared for when disasters occur," said Preeti Emrick, Director of Emergency Management for Anne Arundel County. “Preparedness is not about predicting the future, it's about being ready for it. By participating in these free trainings, making a plan and building a kit, our residents are building community resilience, empowering themselves and their families, reducing risk and taking charge of their safety.”
The Office of Emergency Management is offering a variety of FREE training opportunities throughout September:
CPR
Learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR and how to use an AED in this fast-paced, 1.5-hour class. No medical experience is required.
Stop the Bleed
This hands-on class teaches you how to control bleeding in emergency situations. You'll
learn techniques like applying direct pressure, packing wounds, and using a tourniquet. No medical experience is required.
Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE)
Learn valuable strategies and tactics to help you stay safe and protect others during an active shooter situation.
Register for any, or all of these events now and take a proactive step towards preparing yourself and your loved ones for emergencies.
If you would like to request an emergency preparedness presentation or training for your community group, business, or house of worship, visit our website. We also encourage community members to sign up for Alert Anne Arundel for emergency alerts and to follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, Nextdoor, and YouTube, for preparedness tips and information throughout the year.
An alternate format is available upon request. Contact the Office of Emergency Management at 410-222-0600 or oem@aacounty.org. TTY users, please call via Maryland Relay 7-1-1.