In response to a heightened demand for preparedness information since the terrorist attacks of 9-11, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a new publication to help individuals prepare themselves and their families for disasters.

Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness brings together facts on disaster survival techniques, disaster-specific information, and how to prepare for and respond to both natural and man-made disasters.

Are You Ready? provides a step-by-step outline on how to prepare a disaster supply kit, emergency planning for people with disabilities, how to locate and evacuate to a shelter, and even contingency planning for family pets. Man-made threats from hazardous materials and terrorism are also treated in detail. The guide details opportunities for every citizen to become involved in safeguarding their neighbors and communities through FEMA's Citizen Corps initiative and Community Emergency Response Team training program.

"Taking personal responsibility for the safety of our families, our neighbors and our nation is critical to ensuring damages and losses from disasters are limited," said FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh. "Every American needs to participate in preparing their families so that we - as a nation - are all better prepared."

"Everyone needs to know how to respond to any disaster that could occur in their communities. That includes both natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes - as well as manmade disasters such as terrorism and accidents involving hazardous materials," said Allbaugh.

"Are You Ready?" Complete Contents
(All files are provided in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). The Free Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the files.)

Cover -- 1.68 MB
Introduction -- 569 KB

General Preparedness Information -- 1.14 MB

• Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies -- 654 KB 
  Creating a disaster plan Emergency planning for people with special needs Disaster supply kits
• Evacuation -- 63 KB
• Shelter -- 260 KB 
  Long-term in-place sheltering Staying in a mass care shelter
• Mitigation -- 562 KB
• Animals in Disaster -- 927 KB
• Recovering From Disaster -- 93 KB

Natural Hazards -- 396 KB

• Floods -- 1.26 MB
• Hurricanes -- 485 KB
• Thunderstorms -- 857 KB 
  Lightning Tornadoes
• Winter Storms and Extreme Cold -- 636 KB
• Extreme Heat (Heat Wave) -- 104 KB 
  Emergency water shortages
• Earthquakes -- 667 KB
• Volcanoes -- 301 KB
• Landslide and Debris Flow (Mudslide) -- 356 KB
• Tsunamis -- 808 KB
• Fire -- 746 KB 
  Wildland fires

Technological & Man-Made Hazards -- 1.26 MB

• Hazardous Materials Incidents -- 375 KB Household chemical emergencies
• Nuclear Power Plants -- 414 KB
• National Security Emergencies -- 628 KB 
  Terrorism 
  Chemical and biological weapons 
  Nuclear and radiological attack 
  Homeland security advisory system

For More Information -- 651 KB 
Citizen Corps CERT 
Disaster Public Education web sites 
Independent study courses

Inside Back Cover -- 25.5 KB
Back Cover -- 1.42 MB

For more information on preparedness, visit FEMA's Online Library at: http://www.fema.gov/library. The online emergency checklist is another way FEMA is working to make America "A Nation Prepared."