FEMA Encourages Preparedness Every Month
As September’s National Preparedness Month concludes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ad Council remind you that “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.” in new PSAs and online videos
Release date: September 27, 2017
Washington - All natural disasters, including the recent hurricanes, are a reminder how swiftly emergencies and disasters can happen. To address the fact that less than 50 percent of households have developed an emergency plan and discussed it with their families, FEMA and the Ad Council are working to inform and encourage all Americans to plan ahead for disasters. FEMA and the Ad Council are announcing the release of new public service announcements (PSAs) as part of the Ready Campaign to conclude National Preparedness Month. The PSAs, “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.” encourage families to take time to talk about their emergency plans – what to do, where to go for an evacuation or shelter-in-place, and how to get in contact in the event that you are separated in a disaster or emergency.
“Preparedness is a shared responsibility. It’s important to be aware of your local hazards,” said FEMA Acting Deputy Administrator for Protection and National Preparedness Katie Fox. “The first step to preparing for a disaster doesn’t cost anything – talk to your family and make a plan for evacuation, shelter and communication. Discuss what you will need. You can also take training or a CPR course to help yourself and others.”
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The new PSAs build on the success of last year’s theme, “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.” The PSAs encourage families to have a conversation and develop an emergency communication plan, a no-cost preparedness action, before disasters such as tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, power outages and hurricanes strike.
Created pro bono by Chicago-based advertising agency Schafer Condon Carter (SCC), the creative illustrates that disasters do not plan ahead or accommodate our busy schedules, but there is something we can do by preparing in advance for the types of disasters that can happen where we live, work and travel.
“The goal of this campaign is to help compel Americans into action by capturing a simple truth – that disasters don’t tell you when and where they are coming – and placing it into the context of their busy lives,” said David Selby, President and Managing Partner of SCC. “We plan for almost everything in our lives, but we don’t plan ahead for what could be the most impactful, and potentially devastating, events. This messaging aims to encourage preparedness by showing just how necessary it is to plan ahead and to build it into your everyday life.”
“The recent hurricanes are a reminder that we can never be too prepared in the event of an emergency. The Ready Campaign and FEMA continue to make strides in educating and empowering Americans to take steps to prepare themselves, their families and their communities for a disaster but there are still many people across the country who aren’t planning ahead,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “This creative exemplifies how easy it is to take the first step toward being prepared.”
As part of an ongoing collaboration with state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management partners, PSA localizations were coordinated with more than 42 states, cities and territories. The PSAs drive audiences to their local emergency management or agency’s website for resources and information regarding risks pertinent to their area.
Since its launch in 2003, the Ready Campaign has received more than $1.2 billion in donated media. The campaign helped generate nearly 100 million unique visitors to Ready.gov, who are looking to learn how to be better prepared. The new creative will have English and Spanish TV spots, radio, outdoor and digital banners.
For more information visit Ready.gov/communicate, download the FEMA App here, and follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or view our PSAs on YouTube.
SCC
Schafer Condon Carter (SCC) is an independent creative and technology agency that delivers transformative brand and business ideas to drive results for its clients. AOR clients include Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, National Pork Board, Pepsico, Chicago Cubs, IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC., Friendly's Restaurants and Solo Cup Company among others. A simple mission drives SCC's entrepreneurial, results-driven culture: "Think Again." SCC's integrated assets include SCC|Digital, SCC|PRISM, MAKE247 Content Studio and SCC|Design Services. The company also operates a private equity portfolio, SCC|Ventures, which has holdings in the food and tech sectors. Headquartered in a landmark building in Chicago's historic West Loop district, SCC has a full-time staff of over 120. To learn more about SCC, visit: https://www.SCCThinkAgain.com/
Media Contacts
FEMA Contact
FEMA News Desk, 202-646-3272, [email protected]
The Ad Council
Casey Warnick, The Ad Council, 212-808-1509, [email protected]
Schafer Condon Carter
Andrew Sexton, DiGennaro Communciations, 646-380-4757, [email protected]