September is National Preparedness Month: begin with one simple step

September is National Preparedness Month: begin with one simple step

Published on August 31, 2026

September is National Preparedness Month. This week, take one simple action that can make a significant difference in an emergency: register for SMC Alert or confirm that your account and contact information are up to date.

Although preparedness may seem overwhelming, taking one practical step each week can make your household safer and more confident in handling emergencies.

Start by making sure you can receive reliable emergency information. The City of Menlo Park uses SMC Alert to provide residents and businesses with urgent, location-specific information. Depending on the incident, alerts may include evacuation instructions, shelter locations, road closures, severe-weather warnings, and other protective actions.

Because SMC Alert is an opt-in service, residents and business owners should periodically sign in to confirm or update their phone numbers, email addresses and important locations to ensure they receive timely and accurate emergency notifications when needed.

Emergency alerts are most effective when everyone knows what to do after receiving one. Talk with members of your household about where you would go, how you would communicate and who could help children, older adults, people with disabilities or pets if family members were separated.

Preparedness does not require doing everything today. This week, begin with one action: sign up for SMC Alert or update your existing account to empower you to take control of your safety.

Learn more at menlopark.gov/prepared and menlopark.gov/alerts.

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