Press Release

For Immediate Release

#49-22

NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HOSTED FAMILY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DAY AT STATEN ISLAND CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

September 19, 2022 –– Preparing your family emergency plan can actually be a fun activity for everyone in the family. New York City Emergency Management and the Staten Island Children’s Museum held the Ready New York’s Family Preparedness Day fair on Sunday, September 18, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event welcomed families from all over New York City for a day of fun and learning. Family Preparedness Day focuses on teaching children and their parents the basics of emergency preparedness. The free event also highlighted National Preparedness Month and the importance of creating an emergency plan for your family.

“It is important for children to learn early how to build a family emergency plan so that it becomes an integral part of their lives as they grow,” said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “The activities families participated in during this event helped them learn about what to do in case of an emergency. It is our mission to encourage every New Yorker to make a plan and know what to do before an emergency.”

“We always like to showcase the fun in learning, so we were delighted that the Staten Island Children's Museum was the venue for this important fair. Planning for emergencies is important to all families but hard to carve out time to do. This fair helped remind us all to make planning a priority and also provided guidance that breaks down the [emergency preparedness] steps into very achievable actions,” said Staten Island Children’s Museum Executive Director Dina Rosenthal.

Family Preparedness Day featured a variety of activities, including an emergency preparedness-themed photo booth, a DJ, and a balloon artist. During the event, children had access to board games, arts and crafts, and more.

“This event helped highlight what families need to do in order to keep themselves safe and out of harm’s way during an emergency. It is important to teach these skills to children, so they understand at a young age what steps need to be taken to be prepared and how to react in fast-paced situations,” said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. “We want to thank Commissioner Iscol and the Staten Island Children’s Museum for hosting an event that has had a positive impact on all who attended.” 

NYC Emergency Management’s superhero, Ready Girl, used her superpowers to help kids create an emergency plan, prepare a stay-at-home kit, and pack a Go Bag. Representatives from local New York City Community Emergency Response Team program (NYC CERT), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), New York City Fire Department (FDNY), New York Police Department (NYPD),  and New York City Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) distributed informational booklets and flyers, and also provided fun activities for families. Special guest Grammy-nominated artist, Fyütch was on hand to perform catchy yet educational music for all ages. The event is one of the in-person events held during National Preparedness Month that is designed to inform New Yorkers about preparing for emergencies.

About Ready Girl

Ready Girl is a superhero and emergency manager who teaches kids about emergency preparedness. She is part of the Ready New York for Kids’ program, a joint initiative between NYC Emergency Management and the Department of Education that is dedicated to helping educate young students about the importance of emergency preparedness. Since she burst onto the superhero scene in October 2015, Ready Girl has taken her message all over New York City, visiting hundreds of schools, community centers and youth organizations, and dropping in on local fairs. She has trained thousands of kids throughout the five boroughs, getting every New York City kid ready for any emergency. To keep up-to-date on Ready Girl’s every move, visit NYC.gov/readyny to learn more about the Ready New York program.

About National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month reminds individuals to prepare themselves and families for emergencies now and throughout the year. During the month, NYC Emergency Management teamed up with City agencies and community partners to organize and promote a number of events for the entire family, including children, older adults, and pets, as well as steps New Yorkers and their communities can take to be ready for any disaster. For more information about preparing for emergencies, visit NYC.gov/emergencymanagement.

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