Get Ready Day mobilizes individuals and communities every third Tuesday of September. Established by the American Public Health Association, this day arms you with knowledge to cope with crises like natural disasters and infectious diseases. Attend local events, assemble emergency kits, and educate your family to ensure you’re ready for any emergency.
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Expected Get Ready Day Deals
On Get Ready Day, the focus shifts from commercial deals to vital preparedness and community resilience. Organizations like the American Public Health Association (APHA), FEMA, and the American Red Cross often partner with retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s for in-store workshops on emergency kit assembly and water purification. Brands such as Duracell and Energizer may highlight essential battery-powered devices, while companies like LifeStraw promote portable water filtration. Many local health departments and community centers host free training sessions and distribute informational materials. We encourage you to visit official preparedness websites like Ready.gov for guidance and to support local initiatives that bolster community safety.
Platform Guide for Get Ready Day
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Mention @NatlToday and use #GetReadyDay. Share quick tips for emergency kits or local preparedness events. Engage with public health organizations.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #GetReadyDay. Post about family emergency plans or local community preparedness workshops.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #GetReadyDay. Share visual checklists for go-bags or short videos demonstrating emergency skills like first aid.
Get Ready Day Hero
American Public Health Association (APHA)
History of Get Ready Day
The American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Get Ready Day is on the third Tuesday in September, coinciding with National Preparedness Month. The campaign’s aim is to prepare American citizens and their communities for emergency crisis situations like natural disasters or hazards.
Being equipped with the right tools, having ample stock of food and water, and just overall being ready for worst-case scenarios during emergencies is important for survival. This is exactly what Get Ready Day creates awareness for. COVID-19 is an example of how, in the face of a pandemic, most of us were unprepared, and that being prepared involves having enough supply and resources to make it through months of lockdown or similar situations if necessary. A general checklist of necessities during a disaster is water, food, a radio, a flashlight, and a first aid kit.
The campaign was first started in the mid-2000s by the APHA. A dedicated website also exists, providing checklists and other information. It is important to discuss sensible emergency survival plans with families and friends. Educational institutions and community centers also host discussions and distribute material on preparing for unforeseen dangers and disasters.
Get Ready Day timeline
Dr. Stephen Smith — commissioner of New York City’s Metropolitan Health Board — creates the American Public Health Association.
Due to intense support from the American Public Health Association, the United Nations establishes the World Health Organization.
President Bill Clinton declares the first week of April National Public Health Week.
The headquarters for APHA is built in Washington, D.C.
As a means to arm the public with the resources to best handle dangerous situations, APHA launches the Get Ready campaign.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Get Ready Day
Local businesses can play a crucial role in Get Ready Day by promoting preparedness and community safety. Retailers can offer special discounts on emergency supplies like first-aid kits, non-perishable food, and water filters. Hardware stores might host free workshops on securing homes against natural disasters or assembling emergency toolkits. Service-based businesses could share preparedness tips on their social media or partner with local emergency services for educational events. Emphasizing community resilience and safety builds trust and provides valuable support to customers.
Get Ready Day FAQs
When is Get Ready Day?
Get Ready Day 2026 falls on Tuesday, September 15. This annual observance is a crucial reminder to assess and update your emergency preparedness plans.
How many Americans are prepared for a disaster?
According to FEMA, only about half of Americans have an emergency plan, and even fewer have sufficient supplies. Get Ready Day 2026 aims to close this preparedness gap.
What should be in an emergency kit?
An essential emergency kit for 2026 should include water (one gallon per person per day for several days), non-perishable food, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, extra batteries, first-aid kit, whistle, dust mask, plastic sheeting, duct tape, moist towelettes, garbage bags, wrench or pliers, manual can opener, local maps, and a cell phone with chargers.
Is Get Ready Day part of a larger preparedness effort?
Yes, Get Ready Day is a key component of National Preparedness Month, observed throughout September 2026. This broader initiative encourages everyone to prepare for disasters and emergencies.
How to Observe Get Ready Day
Get involved
Coordinate an after-school fair involving people of all ages. Want to spread the message to the senior citizens in your community? Schedule a preparedness talk at your local senior center.
Prepare
Get Ready Day is a great reminder to stock up on the supplies that will prepare you to cope with a crisis. Snag good deals by shopping online for whatever you think you'll need to get through the challenge. Canned foods and other food items with a long shelf life, batteries, flashlights and face masks are just a few ideas.
Spread APHA's message
You can help APHA get survival tips and tricks out to your community by setting up a table at your local supermarket and handing out preparedness fliers. Post materials at local churches and coffee shops. Ask the church secretary to include Get Ready Day information in the weekly church bulletin.
4 "Ah Ha!" APHA Moments
APHA fought one of the deadliest diseases in U.S. history
APHA played a large role in fighting the tuberculosis outbreak that occurred from 1895-1954.
Mosquitoes pose a health risk
Walter Reed, a U.S. Army physician, announces that mosquitoes carry yellow fever at the 1990 APHA Annual Meeting.
The polio vaccine
Jonas Salk, a member of APHA, creates the Salk vaccine as a way to treat polio.
The AIDS crisis
APHA testified at the first congressional hearing held to discuss the AIDS epidemic.
Why Get Ready Day is Important
It teaches us out how cope with a crisis
Get Ready Day’s preparedness information is educational and beneficial, so Americans can learn the best strategies to prepare for — and cope with — disastrous situations. With online toolkits, social media resources and local events, Get Ready Day’s information is easy to access, so make sure you take advantage, read up and follow through.
It encourages us to keep our cool
Dangerous, unexpected situations are nerve-wracking, stressful and unsettling, but thanks to Get Ready Day, we can stay a little calmer. Because of all the helpful information that circulates on Get Ready Day, we can chill out knowing we have the supplies and knowledge to better handle emergencies.
It puts health and safety at the top of our list
Get Ready Day is all about making sure we know how to best respond to any emergency situation. Not only does this help us feel equipped to deal with unsafe circumstances, but it also confirms that APHA cares about our survival.
Get Ready Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 16 | Tuesday |
Social Media Tips for Get Ready Day
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