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National Preparedness Month
September 2026 — Get Prepared for What's Ahead
September is National Preparedness Month, a time for New Yorkers to take practical steps now so they are ready when an emergency happens.
New York City faces many hazards, including hurricanes and coastal storms, flash flooding, extreme heat, power outages, winter weather, and other emergencies. This year, NYC Emergency Management is placing a special focus on flooding and coastal storms and the actions New Yorkers can take before the next storm arrives.
Preparedness starts with knowing your risks. Find out whether you live in a coastal flood evacuation zone. Sign up for emergency alerts. Make a household emergency plan. Pack a Go Bag. Know where you will go if you need to evacuate, and make sure your plan includes pets and service animals.
Flooding can become dangerous quickly. If you live in a basement or below-grade space, know how you will get to higher ground. Never walk, bike, or drive through flooded streets. Floodwater may be deeper or moving faster than it appears and can conceal dangerous conditions.
Preparedness also means looking out for one another. Check in with family, friends, neighbors, and community members who may need additional help before, during, or after an emergency.
Throughout September, NYC Emergency Management and our partners are bringing preparedness information and resources directly to communities across the five boroughs. Join us for family events, Climate Week activities, preparedness fairs, performances, and virtual information sessions focused on practical steps you can take to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community.
Check below for the full schedule of National Preparedness Month events.
Visit our Ready New York Webpage for practical emergency preparedness information.
Events
NYC Emergency Management and our partners are hosting in-person and virtual events throughout September for New Yorkers, families, community organizations, and faith-based organizations.
In-Person
Family Emergency Preparedness Day at the Staten Island Children’s Museum
Saturday, September 19, 2026
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Staten Island Children’s Museum
1000 Richmond Terrace, Building M
Staten Island
Bring the family for a day of activities, preparedness resources, and practical information from community partners and City agencies.
Children can enjoy Cape Coloring with Ready Girl, a bounce house, face painting, a balloon artist, and other activities while families learn how to prepare for emergencies together.
Admission to the museum is free.
NPM Climate Week at Flushing Public Library
Monday, September 21, 2026
3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Queens Public Library, Flushing
IRC Conference Room, 3rd Floor
Join Guardians of Flushing Bay, Ready New York, and the MinKwon Center during Climate Week for a family-friendly event focused on climate risks and preparedness in northern Queens.
Activities include plant identification and sewage demonstrations, along with resources on emergency preparedness, health, and housing justice.
Learn more about the risks posed by stronger storms, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and other hazards, and what you can do to prepare your household and community.
Activities and resources will be available in English and Mandarin. Students and families are welcome.
National Preparedness Month Family Day at Queens Botanical Garden
Sunday, September 27, 2026
10:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Queens Botanical Garden
43-50 Main Street
Flushing, Queens
Join Queens Botanical Garden, NYC Emergency Management, Guardians of Flushing Bay, and community partners for a family-friendly day focused on emergency preparedness, climate resilience, and protecting our communities and waterways.
Families can enjoy hands-on activities, meet local community organizations, and learn practical ways to prepare for emergencies.
• Craft making for kids and families
• Face painting
• Community partner tables and preparedness resources
• Please Don’t Flush climate play at 1:30 PM
• Music and more
Come learn, create, connect, and get prepared together.
Pet and Service Animal Preparedness Fair
Sunday, September 27, 2026
11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Madison Square Park
23rd Street and Madison Avenue
Manhattan
NYC Emergency Management is hosting its annual Pet and Service Animal Preparedness Fair to help New Yorkers prepare their pets and service animals for emergencies, evacuations, and seasonal hazards.
Learn how to include pets and service animals in your emergency plan and connect with animal-focused organizations offering preparedness information, resources, and giveaways.
Bring your questions and your furry companions.
Flood Sensor Aunty Presents: Please Don’t Flush
Flood Sensor Aunty is back with a new play for Climate Week and National Preparedness Month.
Please Don’t Flush is a municipal comedy about a community board preparing to vote on a mysterious waterfront development that neighbors, seagulls, and plumbers fear could increase inland flooding.
Developed in partnership with NYC Emergency Management and the Waterfront Alliance, the performance uses humor and original music to help New Yorkers learn about flooding, stormwater, waterways, and emergency preparedness.
Free flood preparedness resources will be available at performances. Learn more about Please Don’t Flush.
Staten Island Performance
Saturday, September 19, 2026
4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Performance begins at 5:00 PM
Staten Island Urban Center
Jamaica Performance
Sunday, September 20, 2026
4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Performance begins at 5:00 PM
Baisley Pond Park
Queens
Gowanus Performance
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Performance begins at 6:30 PM
Van Alen
Brooklyn
Flushing Performance
Sunday, September 27, 2026
11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Performance begins at 1:30 PM
Queens Botanical Garden
Flushing, Queens
RSVP for a Please Don’t Flush performance.
Virtual
Strengthening Communities Information Session: Opportunity #1
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Community and faith-based organizations can join NYC Emergency Management to learn about Strengthening Communities Cohort #6, including eligibility requirements, program benefits, and what organizations should consider before applying.
The Strengthening Communities program provides unrestricted grant funding to community networks to develop emergency preparedness plans and strengthen local resources that can support communities before, during, and after emergencies.
Strengthening Communities Information Session: Opportunity #2
Thursday, September 17, 2026
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Community and faith-based organizations can join NYC Emergency Management to learn about Strengthening Communities Cohort #6, including eligibility requirements, program benefits, and what organizations should consider before applying.
The Strengthening Communities program provides unrestricted grant funding to community networks to develop emergency preparedness plans and strengthen local resources that can support communities before, during, and after emergencies.
Before the Next Emergency: Create Essential Communication Strategies for Your Community
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Clear, accurate, and timely information can help communities take action during an emergency.
Join NYC Emergency Management for a virtual session on how organizations can build an emergency communication strategy before an incident occurs.
Participants will learn how to:
• Develop pre-scripted emergency messages
• Establish clear communication roles and responsibilities
• Share information that is clear, accurate, and timely
This session is designed for community and faith-based organizations.
Register for the Communication Strategies webinar
Quick Links
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