Get involved with your community by participating in the 35th annual National Night Out .

Communities all across the country will hold events on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Neighborhoods will host block parties, festivals, and parades. The campaign brings police and neighbors together. It serves as an effort to build a stronger community.

Make your neighborhood stronger by helping it prepare for a disaster. Attend your local National Night Out event. While there, find out how to join a local program like:

• Citizen Corps
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Medical Reserve Corps

Visit  ready.gov/volunteer for more ways to help your neighborhood. 

Earth EX invites you to take part in the first worldwide severe power outage exercise.

Anyone, any group, or any nation can join this exercise. It requires no preparation. It costs nothing. It works in any time zone and you can begin anytime on August 22.

This event gives organizations a chance to test executive and operational decisions. It will help individuals, families, and community groups with basic preparations and planning.

Take the time to learn, share information, and improve your plans.

Learn more or register for Earth EX 2018 at: https://eiscouncil.org/EarthEx.aspx . 

Get ready for National Preparedness Month (NPM) in September. You can use the month to focus on your preparedness efforts for disasters and emergencies that affect where you live, work, and visit.

The 2018 theme is “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.” The NPM social media toolkit provides graphics, hashtags, and content that can be customized to your needs. In addition to the theme for the month, the weekly themes highlight different preparedness actions.

Help promote preparedness this September with NPM's web content and weekly themes:

• September 1-8: Make and Practice Your Plan
• September 9-15: Learn Life Saving Skills
• September 15: National Day of Action
• September 16-22: Check Your Insurance Coverage
• September 23-29: Save For an Emergency

Visit www.ready.gov/september for all the NPM materials.

Last week marked the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act . Make sure your emergency plan covers all the needs of you, your family, or those in your community. 

Medical facilities or drugstores may not be open in a hurricane, snowstorm, or other disasters. Include enough supplies for at least three days. The Ready Campaign offers many tips to plan for the needs of people with disabilities:

• Create a support network. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in your emergency kit .
• Contact your city or county emergency management office. There may be local resources to help you prepare.
• Plan for your transportation if you need help evacuating, or getting to a medical clinic.
• Talk to your health-care provider about how to prepare for a power outage if you use electric medical devices.
• Plan how you will communicate with others if you have a communication disability.
• Wear medical alert tags.
• Plan how you will evacuate with any assistive devices. Make a list of the style and the serial number of any of these devices in case they become lost or damaged.
• Store extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries with your supply items.
• Keep at least a week's supply of prescription medicines. Make a list of all medications their dosage, and any allergies.
• Include copies of medical insurance and Medicare cards in your emergency kit.
• Create a supply kit for any pets and service animals .

Visit Ready.gov's Individuals with Disabilities page, or watch FEMA's Ready Campaign video, " We Prepare Every Day ," for more great tips.