TL;DR: On Sept. 10, 2026, California's emergency agency urged every household to sign up for alerts, make a family plan, pack a go-bag, and learn evacuation routes for Preparedness Month.

What Cal OES announced on Sept. 10

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services used its Preparedness Month 2026 | Cal OES News update, published Sept. 10, 2026, to remind residents to take measures to keep households safe when disaster strikes, according to Cal OES News.

That update named four California hazards in one line: wildfire, earthquake, winter storms, and heat waves.

The agency message was direct: be prepared before, during and after an emergency.

Cal OES pointed readers to two follow points for the month: check the blog at news.caloes.ca.gov and follow agency accounts on social platforms at @Cal_OES for tips on staying prepared before, during and after an emergency.

The September push is recognized annually, the agency noted, as a reminder to Californians to act for themselves and loved ones.

Preparedness Month event in Mather put tools on display

A second Sept. 10 report added on-the-ground detail to the statewide message.

Cal OES highlights need for disaster readiness at 'Preparedness Month' event - KCRA, updated at 4:49 PM PDT on Sept. 10, 2026, described a media tour of Cal OES resources in Mather, California, according to KCRA.

Emergency managers shared how they prepare in advance of major wildfires, earthquakes or other destructive events, whether human- or nature-caused.

The resources tour was presented as part of Preparedness Month, described as a campaign observed at the national, state and local levels.

Cal OES Deputy Director of Crisis Communication Matt Notley framed the day as both public reminder and behind-the-scenes look.

"We're out here, reminding California that they can take simple steps to be ready, but we're also showcasing everything we do behind the scenes," Notley said.

Sign up for alerts first, agency says

Notley identified one first action for residents: sign up for emergency alerts through the Cal Alerts notification system, according to KCRA.

Cal OES described Cal Alerts as a nation-wide system providing lifesaving information for the State of California.

The Preparedness Month 2026 | Cal OES News guidance separately listed emergency-alert sign-up as a step that can help save life, according to Cal OES News.

That same guidance directed readers to Ready California for alert sign-up, multilingual emergency preparedness resources, and access to free materials that help households prepare.

KCRA reported that Ready California is intended to help people who might need extra help get resources to prepare.

"Those that might need a little extra help, that's where Ready California comes in to bridge that gap and make sure that everyone's getting the resources they need to be prepared," Cal OES public information officer Davina Mapes said.

The KCRA report also pointed to Ready California regional preparedness summits, where community-based organizations host grassroots gatherings to "mobilize disaster preparedness and resilience statewide."

Make a household plan and pick a meeting place

Cal OES News urged families to talk together about creating an emergency plan.

The agency listed two plan points: know where family members will meet up during an emergency, and provide children with important phone numbers.

The KCRA account of the Mather event added partnership context for that planning work.

Cal OES said it works with different agencies and entities across the state during disasters, according to KCRA.

Partners named in that report included fire and rescue, law enforcement, and community-based groups, with regional and local partners joining response work.

For mothers building a binder or phone list, the practical pairing is clear from the two Sept. 10 sources: write down meeting locations and phone numbers, then make sure alerts and local-official updates can reach every adult.

Pack a go-bag that can become a stay box

The Cal OES News checklist centers on a go-bag for leaving home quickly.

The agency said to include essential items for each member of the family.

It added that a go-bag can turn into a stay box in case sheltering in place is required.

Listed contents were food and water, medication, important documents, pet supplies, flashlight, and first aid kit.

That list is intentionally household-wide rather than individual, which matters for packing: repeat core items for each person, then add pet needs alongside human needs.

The agency did not set quantities or brands in the Sept. 10 update, so families can start from items already on hand and expand over time.

Learn more than one way out

Cal OES News told residents to learn multiple evacuation routes out of the neighborhood.

It also told residents to stay tuned to updates from local officials and, if told to evacuate, not to wait.

The update defined two evacuation terms California households should know by name.

An Evacuation Warning means there is a potential threat to life and property, with direction to leave now if extra time is needed or if the household has pets or livestock.

An Evacuation Order means there is an immediate threat to life and property, with direction to leave now.

For livestock owners and pet households, the distinction sets packing order: a Warning is the signal to move early when animals, medical needs, or extra loading time are involved.

Earthquake seconds and Drop, Cover, Hold On

Earthquake readiness had its own section in the Cal OES News update.

The agency pointed to early warning as a way to get life-saving seconds during an earthquake event.

It reminded residents to drop, cover and hold on during shaking.

It linked that reminder to an Earthquake Early Warning readiness guide for additional steps.

The KCRA tour report did not add earthquake drill steps, but it showed how warning capability is kept running when infrastructure is damaged.

Inside the 53-foot mobile warning center

KCRA toured the California State Warning Center Mobile Command Unit in Mather.

The unit was described as a 53-foot center on wheels that lets emergency managers handle crisis situations wherever they happen, with no lapses in notifications issued by the permanent center.

Cal OES State Warning Center operations manager Paul Benvenuti described the unit as a full backup to headquarters capability.

"This unit gives us the ability to provide the life-saving notifications that we are required to provide to the state of California 24/7-365, regardless of power outages, network outages, any impacts to headquarters where we are actually housed now with the California State Warning Center," Benvenuti said.

He added that the team can deploy the unit anywhere, anytime, any place, and retain the full capabilities available in the warning center.

For households, the takeaway is operational rather than technical: official notifications are designed to continue on a 24/7-365 basis even during power or network outages affecting headquarters.

Free fourth-grade curriculum adds family-level reach

A Sept. 7 Cal OES item extended Preparedness Month work into classrooms.

Cal OES Offers Free Disaster Preparedness Curriculum Through Fourth Grade Preparedness Ambassadors Program | Cal OES News, published Sept. 7, 2026, said the Preparedness Ambassadors Program gives fourth-grade teachers a fun, standards-based curriculum that teaches students how to prepare at home, at school, and in communities, according to Cal OES News.

The agency said introducing preparedness at an early age gives students practical knowledge to share with families while helping build more resilient communities.

It explained the grade choice in two numbers: California has more than 450,000 fourth-grade students each year, and research shows children at that age are especially curious and eager to learn.

In a state where wildfires, floods, earthquakes and other hazards are part of everyday life, those lessons can have lasting impact, the agency said.

Since launch, more than 4,000 students representing 61 schools, 31 school districts, and 26 California counties have become Preparedness Ambassadors.

What the classroom kit covers

The curriculum package includes standards-aligned lessons covering wildfires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, power outages, volcanoes, tornadoes, and other hazards.

Lessons use real-world examples using California disasters whenever possible and are designed as flexible lessons for varied classroom environments.

Interactive activities encourage students to create family emergency plans, explore the Family Readiness Guide, develop preparedness posters, and engage with communities.

Every student who completes the program receives a Preparedness Ambassador certificate.

No registration or cost is required, and teachers can start right away by downloading the program from the agency website or requesting information or printed copies directly from the program.

To complement lessons, the Preparedness Ambassadors Activity Book offers ready-to-use activities featuring the Preparedness Squad, with crossword puzzles, word searches, engaging facts, and hands-on exercises that reinforce concepts while making learning interactive.

Participating classrooms may also receive preparedness-themed stickers, bookmarks, backpacks, and magnets while supplies last.

Teachers can request information or printed materials from contact Abby Tirapelle at [email protected].

Prepper Mom checklist for Sept. 10-30

Use the two Sept. 10 sources plus the Sept. 7 school notice as a short action list.

First, enroll every adult phone in Cal Alerts and check Ready California for multilingual and free preparedness materials.

Second, write a one-page family plan with an out-of-neighborhood meeting place and phone numbers children can carry.

Third, build or refresh one go-bag per person with food, water, medication, documents, pet supplies, flashlight and first aid supplies, and stage it to serve as a stay box if sheltering in place is ordered.

Fourth, drive or walk two evacuation routes, review Warning versus Order language, and agree that a Warning means early departure for households with pets, livestock, or extra-time needs.

Fifth, review drop, cover and hold on steps and the Earthquake Early Warning readiness guide noted by Cal OES.