A national public service campaign by the U.S. government designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies and disasters.
Map
General Information
Ready.gov provides a comprehensive framework for individual and community preparedness, focusing on four pillars: staying informed, making a plan, building a kit, and getting involved.
Launched in February 2003 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and managed by FEMA, the campaign addresses the need for a standardized national culture of readiness following major domestic and technological threats.
Hazard Type
Geographical Scope - Nuts
Geographical Scope
Population Size
Population Density
Needs Addressed
Lack of public awareness and practical readiness for large-scale disasters, aiming to reduce the burden on professional first responders by fostering self-sufficiency.
Focus on individuals with access and functional needs, including low-income communities and pet owners, through tailored guides.
Managed by FEMA/DHS but implemented through a "Whole Community" approach involving state, local, tribal governments, and NGOs.
Promotes the National Preparedness Goal through structured frameworks like the National Response Framework (NRF).
Leverages national alert systems (WEA, EAS) and the FEMA mobile app for real-time risk communication.
To move the public from passive awareness to active participation in community-wide disaster preparedness.
Public service announcements (PSAs), National Preparedness Month (September), social media toolkits, and community webinars.
Encourages citizens to join local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and participate in local planning.
Provides K-12 curriculum (Ready Kids) to train the next generation of resilient citizens.
Vulnerable Groups
Governance
Emergency Preparedness
Infrastructure Readiness
Engagement Level
Empowerment Level
Implementation
Use of "fillable" digital emergency plans and a multi-language platform (Listo.gov) to ensure accessibility.
English, Spanish (Primary), and multiple other translations for hazard sheets.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Decades of experience in national-level disaster response, recovery, and mitigation.
FEMA, DHS, Ad Council, local emergency managers, and Citizen Corps.
- Information dissemination (Stay Informed).
- Individual planning (Make a Plan).
- Logistics (Build a Kit).
- Community action (Get Involved).
Funded by federal budgets with massive "earned media" support (PSAs) and local volunteer labor.
Year-round awareness with peak activity during the National Preparedness Month cycle.
Experience of the Implementing Organisation in DRM
Target Audience
Resources Required
Timeframe & Phases
Participation Results
Research indicates that personalized messaging (e.g., for pet owners or seniors) significantly increases the likelihood of kit building.
Addressing accessibility for PwDs (People with Disabilities) by updating web standards and mobile app functionality.
Based on the Strategic National Risk Assessment to identify and prepare for the highest-probability threats.
Risk & Mitigation Plan
Scalability and Sustainability
Institutionalized through federal policy and the integration of preparedness into school and workplace safety cultures.
The "Ready" brand is adapted locally by states (e.g., Ready Georgia, Ready NYC) to fit specific regional hazards.
Integration of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and GPS-based hazard tracking via the FEMA app.
Federal campaign management and content production.
Maintenance of the national alert infrastructure and community training grants.
Preparedness is a continuous process; shifting from "What to do" to "How to involve" creates more resilient community networks.