The City of West Hollywood recognizes September as National Preparedness Month. National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year’s theme is Start a Conversation.

The City of West Hollywood encourages community members to act by creating an emergency preparedness plan with family and neighbors — and don’t forget to include family pets in the plan. An emergency preparedness plan can help everyone to stay safe and effectively communicate during and after potential disasters or emergencies.

The federal government’s website, ready.gov has recommended a step-by-step plan (available in multiple languages) to help prepare for any emergency:

Make a Plan: Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Update any existing plans based on any emergent viruses such as COVID-19 or Mpox.

Build a Kit: Gather enough supplies for everyone in your home (including pets) to last for several days after a disaster. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly.

Protect Family and Property: Limit the impacts disasters have on you and your family. Know the risk of disasters in your area and check your insurance coverage. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards; act fast if you receive a local warning or alert.

Teach Youth About Preparedness: Talk to your kids about how to prepare for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.

Prepare Your Pets for Disasters: Your pets are important members of your family and should be included in your emergency plan.

To help spark a conversation, ready.gov/september has made available preparedness toolkits in English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese. Toolkits include graphics, publications, and messaging sharable with family, friends and neighbors. To learn more community safety tips, please visit the City of West Hollywood’s public safety website area at www.weho.org/publicsafety.

For more information about National Preparedness Month, please contact Margarita Kustanovich, City of West Hollywood Emergency Management Coordinator, at (323) 848-6414 or at safety@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.