During the first week of  National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), October 2-6, learn how to keep yourself safe and secure online.

To build on the theme for NCSAM - Securing the Internet is Our Shared Responsibility , this week focuses on Simple Steps to Online Safety.

Stop. Think. Connect. ™  is a cybersecurity awareness campaign from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Follow its tips to protect yourself online and make the internet more secure for everyone. These include:

• Lock Down Your Login – Usernames and passwords are often not enough to protect important accounts like email, banking, and social media. Fortify your accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as multi-factor authentication for your online accounts and fingerprint identification and security keys to  lock your mobile device .
• Keep a clean machine . Regularly update the software on your Internet-connected devices, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets, to reduce the risk of infection from malware.
• Treat personal information like money . Information about you, such as your purchase history and location, has value - just like money. Protect your data by being cautious about how your information is collected by apps and websites.
• Own your online presence . Control and limit who can see your information online by checking the privacy and security settings on your accounts and apps. Anything you post publicly could potentially be seen by a cybercriminal, so keep your personal information private.
• Share with care . Think before posting about yourself and others online. Consider what a post reveals, who might see it, and how it could be perceived now and in the future.

Join in celebrating National Cybersecurity Awareness Month throughout the month of October. Please visit  www.dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month  or  www.dhs.gov/StopThinkConnect  for more information.

Next week, October 8-14, is Fire Prevention Week . This year's theme is Every Second Counts. Plan Two Ways Out .

Help the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), promote fire safety and Fire Prevention Week with the following handouts, graphics, checklists and social media materials :

• Fire Prevention Week Infographic
• Apartment Fire Safety Checklist
• Fire Escape Plan Grid
• Home Fire Protection Plans
• Home Fire Safety Checklist
• Home Fire Safety Checklist for Older Adults
• Protect Everyone in Your Home Checklist
• Fire Safety – Have Two Ways Out video
• Up in Smoke: Practice an Escape Plan video

For more information about Fire Prevention Week or developing a home fire escape plan, visit the USFA Fire Prevention Week page.

At  10:19 a.m. local time on  October 19, 2017,  millions of people will practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On during the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills held throughout the world.

Last year, more than 55 million people worldwide participated in ShakeOut. Most held their drills on International ShakeOut Day, the third Thursday of October each year.

Visit  ShakeOut.org  to learn more and  register  your participation today!

What you do now determines how well you can survive and recover later.  Watch this video  from  Prepareathon ™  to learn more about earthquake safety. You can also visit the Prepareathon Earthquake page and Ready.gov . 

To support ShakeOut on social media, participate in their Thunderclap on October 19 at 12:00 p.m. ET. To join in, go to the  ShakeOut Thunderclap  and agree to post a one-time message on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr promoting the earthquake drill.

If you have been impacted by the hurricanes , the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers resources to help you recover. Registering online, at www.DisasterAssistance.gov , is the quickest way to register for FEMA assistance.

Visit the Hurricane Harvey , Irma , or Maria pages for trusted recovery information.

• To donate or volunteer, contact the voluntary or charitable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD) at www.nvoad.org .
• NVOAD is coordinating closely with the Puerto Rico Governor's Office on offers of assistance. To make a cash donation directly to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, visit www.unitedforpuertorico.com . 
• Donations for the US Virgin Islands can be made to https://www.usvirecovery.org .