The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sponsors National Preparedness Month each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning throughout the year. The 2019 theme is “Prepared, Not Scared.” FEMA is a long-time ARRL partner agency. This year, FEMA wants participants — which include Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) volunteers — to share their activities and success stories, as well as brief descriptions of their National Preparedness Month plans (include “NPM” in the email subject line).

An appropriate submission would be your ARES team’s planned or conducted ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) activity. The SET is designed to assess the skills and preparedness of ARES and other organizations involved with emergency/disaster response, and the 2019 SET is scheduled for the October 5 – 6 weekend. Guidelines and specific SET reporting forms for Field Organization leaders are on the ARRL website. Download and send completed forms to Steve Ewald, WV1X, at ARRL Headquarters. See page 71 in the September 2019 issue of QST for more information on the 2019 SET.