(Make a plan. Include your specific health and safety needs when creating your emergency plan. Ready.gov/myplan. Brought to you by the Ad Council and Ready.)

September is National Preparedness Month. During the last few months, we have witnessed Americans experience wildfires, hurricanes, flash floods and more. If a disaster strikes your community, are you prepared?

Since 2004, National Preparedness Month is observed each September in the United States of America. Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Preparedness Month encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. FEMA’s Ready Campaign, a public education outreach campaign, has great information and resources to help the general public prepare for and respond to emergencies. As we all know this preparation is especially important for persons with chronic health conditions, so be informed and make a plan – go here to find a comprehensive checklist from the Ready Campaign.

Persons with an inherited bleeding disorder and their caregivers need to be proactive in order to be ready for all sorts of circumstances. The Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) and the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) have many tools and resources that are intended to help the bleeding disorders community plan ahead:

In observance of National Preparedness Month, The American Public Health Association has a Get Ready Day Campaign on September 19th. They offer fact sheets, blogs, podcasts and more to help you prepare for a potential disaster – go here to check out the free materials on the Get Ready Web site.