TL;DR: FEMA opened September with preparedness month, $2 billion in recovery funds, and new disaster declarations for Indiana and Hawaii County.
FEMA's Ready Campaign launched National Preparedness Month 2026 on September 1 with the theme "Americans Stand Ready," according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The same bulletin reports that FEMA announced approval of more than $2 billion in recovery and resilience funding on August 28, alongside a major disaster declaration for Indiana dated August 25 and an emergency declaration for Hawaii County for Hurricane Lala impacts from August 14-16.
National Preparedness Month opens with self-reliance theme
FEMA's Ready Campaign launched National Preparedness Month on September 1, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The agency has observed September as National Preparedness Month since 2004 to encourage Americans to plan for emergencies.
This year's theme, Americans Stand Ready, celebrates the self-reliant spirit of the American people, the bulletin states. A companion release titled FEMA Kicks Off National Preparedness Month 2026, Empowers Americans to Stand Ready to Protect Their Loved Ones During Emergencies and Disasters describes the theme as empowering individuals to take charge of their own readiness.
FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton said the nation's people show resourcefulness and civic duty after disaster, according to that FEMA release. The release states the month highlights preparedness as a civic responsibility and patriotic duty.
The release identifies tornadoes, wildfires and hurricanes as examples of disasters Americans can prepare for with simple, practical steps. It states that proactive preparation makes the nation stronger and more resilient.
To support outreach, the Ready Campaign is providing a free, ready-to-use toolkit with customizable preparedness messaging and safety tips, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The toolkit is intended for state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector, faith-based and community organizations and the public to share preparedness information in their communities.
Congressional co-chairs are partnering with FEMA and the Ready Campaign during September, the bulletin reports. It names Chairman Sam Graves of Missouri of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Chairman Dale Strong of Alabama of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
Graves said preparedness is a shared responsibility involving individuals, families, local officials, first responders and emergency managers, according to the bulletin. Strong, described in the bulletin as a lifelong volunteer firefighter, certified EMT and former 9-1-1 dispatcher, said readiness requires planning for safety and mitigating risk.
Three household steps: plan, alerts, kit
The Ready Campaign is sharing easy, affordable steps to stand ready, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The steps cover making a household plan, staying informed about warnings, and building a supply kit.
Households should make a plan that includes pets, so family members know what to do, where to go and what they will need during a disaster, according to the FEMA release titled FEMA Kicks Off National Preparedness Month 2026, Empowers Americans to Stand Ready to Protect Their Loved Ones During Emergencies and Disasters. The release advises considering local risks and family needs, identifying where to go if evacuation is required, and learning evacuation routes.
Residents should sign up for their community warning system and maintain multiple ways to receive alerts, the same FEMA release states. It identifies the Emergency Alert System and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio as sources of emergency alerts.
The campaign advises gathering emergency supplies over time rather than purchasing everything at once, according to the bulletin. It notes that households may already have canned food and first aid supplies that can start a kit.
The campaign directs households to ready.gov/kit for a list of items and guidance on tailoring a kit to family needs, according to the FEMA release. FEMA encourages visiting Ready.gov for updated resources on starting disaster preparedness, the release states.
State, local, tribal and territorial agencies, along with associations, academic institutions, private sector, faith-based and community organizations, can use the toolkit materials to promote personal preparedness, according to that release.
More than $2 billion approved for recovery projects
On August 28, FEMA announced approval of more than $2 billion in post-disaster recovery and resilience funding across the nation, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The bulletin links the funding to commitments by President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to reform federal disaster support, empower state and local partners, and direct taxpayer dollars to projects that protect lives, property and critical infrastructure.
The package includes more than $1.5 billion under FEMA's Public Assistance program, the bulletin reports. State, territorial and local governments and certain private nonprofits will use the funds for 1,188 recovery projects tied to previous disasters, including projects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
FEMA conducted detailed reviews of claimed costs for Public Assistance funds to help prevent fraud, waste and abuse, according to the bulletin. It connects those reviews to President Trump's Executive Order 14395 Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Indiana will serve as the testing ground for FEMA's new public assistance model, according to WLKY reporting titled New FEMA program aims to expedite disaster recovery aid after Indiana flooding. That report states the initiative moves away from traditional reimbursement toward upfront, advance payments based on early cost estimates. The report notes that details were being worked out to ensure FEMA complies with laws and regulations.
Indiana major disaster declaration covers August storms
President Donald J. Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Indiana, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. A Federal Register notice titled Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for the State of Indiana identifies the declaration as FEMA-4933-DR, dated August 25, 2026.
The incident covered by the declaration is severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding, according to that Federal Register notice. The incident period began August 11, 2026 and was listed as continuing.
The notice lists 21 primary counties for physical damage and economic injury loans: Carroll, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, LaPorte, Lake, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Porter, Pulaski, Randolph, Rush, Tipton, Union and Wayne.
Contiguous counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio are eligible for economic injury loans only, the same notice states. In Indiana, those counties include Bartholomew, Blackford, Boone, Brown, Cass, Clinton, Fulton, Grant, Hendricks, Howard, Jasper, Jay, Jennings, Johnson, Marshall, Monroe, Newton, Ohio, Owen, Putnam, Ripley, Shelby, St. Joseph, Starke, Tippecanoe and White. It also lists Cook, Kankakee and Will in Illinois, Boone in Kentucky, Berrien in Michigan, and Butler, Darke, Hamilton and Preble in Ohio.
The physical loan application deadline is October 25, 2026, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan deadline is May 25, 2027, according to the notice. Applications may be submitted through the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or in person at locally announced locations.
Interest rates for the declaration include 6.000 percent for homeowners with credit available elsewhere and 3.000 percent for homeowners without credit available elsewhere, the notice states. Rates for businesses with credit available elsewhere are listed at 8.000 percent and for businesses without credit available elsewhere at 4.000 percent. Private nonprofit organizations are listed at 3.625 percent for physical damage and economic injury categories.
A separate Federal Register notice titled Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Indiana also references FEMA-4933-DR dated August 25, 2026, with the same August 11 incident period. That notice lists Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton, Henry, LaPorte, Lake, Madison, Porter, Tipton and Wayne as primary counties for private nonprofit applicants providing essential governmental services.
Hawaii County emergency declaration for Hurricane Lala
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii County following Hurricane Lala, according to Hawaii News Now reporting titled Trump approves emergency declaration for Hawaii County after Hurricane Lala. FEMA announced that federal assistance was available to supplement state and local response efforts for impacts from August 14 to August 16.
The declaration applies to Hawaii County and allows FEMA to coordinate federal relief efforts and provide equipment and resources supporting emergency response and public health and safety, the report states. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.
Hirokazu Toiya was named Federal Coordinating Officer for response operations in the affected area, according to the report. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz said the declaration would bring federal resources for restoring essential services, clearing debris and repairing damaged infrastructure.
FEMA said additional designations could be made later if requested by the state and supported by further damage assessments, according to the same report.
Wildfire building guide, fire grants and hurricane resources listed
The weekly bulletin also lists FEMA Publishes Builder's Guide to Construction in Wildfire Zones as one of its headline items, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. The bulletin presents the guide as part of the week's wildfire-related updates for planners and builders.
The bulletin lists Fire Service Professionals Help FEMA Improve Fire Grants Programs as another headline item. The title indicates input from fire service professionals on FEMA's fire grant programs.
Two FEMA Blog entries are listed in the bulletin: 2026 Hurricane Readiness Resources Every Emergency Manager Needs and Local Groups Support Recovery in Western North Carolina with FEMA Support. The bulletin includes the titles without summarizing their full contents in the excerpt provided.
Deadlines and webinars flagged for planners
The bulletin includes an Important Deadlines and Reminders section, according to the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026. It flags the deadline for the FY26 National Dam Safety Program's State Assistance Funding Opportunity.
It also lists a 2026 RAPT Update Standard Version Focus Webinar at 1 p.m. ET and a 2026 RAPT Update Advanced Version Focus Webinar at 3:30 p.m. ET. RAPT refers to FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool.
The reminders also include the application deadline for FEMA Corps 2027 Corps Members. The bulletin excerpt does not include calendar dates for these items beyond the webinar times.
What households and local planners can do now
Households can use September to review plans, confirm evacuation routes, test multiple alert methods and start or update a kit with food and first aid supplies already on hand, following the steps described by the FEMA Bulletin Week of September 1, 2026 and the companion FEMA release.
Local agencies and community groups can download the free Ready Campaign toolkit and share customizable messaging, according to the same sources. Counties and nonprofits in declared Indiana areas can review the Federal Register loan deadlines of October 25, 2026 for physical damage and May 25, 2027 for economic injury.
Hawaii County responders and residents can track further FEMA designations tied to Hurricane Lala damage assessments, as described by Hawaii News Now. Planners seeking wildfire construction guidance, fire grant updates and hurricane readiness materials can consult the bulletin items and FEMA Blog titles listed for the week.