Suggestion: Painting a mural in a high traffic area in each town or city.

The mural will serve as a constant reminder of the need and importance of emergency readiness.  It will allow each city/town to discuss what preparedness means in their community.

Painting a mural also brings the community together in several different ways:

1.   To start, each town/city can ask for suggestions on what the mural should depict.   This will allow citizens in the community to start thinking about what it means to be prepared for a disaster, what’s involved in getting prepared, and reflect on whether or not they are prepared. 

2.   Once the theme/idea is selected, there will be a contest for students in the community to design the mural.  It will teach the next generation about the importance of emergency response.

3.   Other student and professional artist in the community will create the mural.

4.   After the mural is created, there will be a ceremony/fair to unveil the mural.  At the ceremony, different emergency response volunteer organizations such as CERT and the Red Cross will have booths where they can hand out informational pamphlets and booklets about emergency response.  Also, FEMA’s Ready America kits, booklets and pamphlets will be available for the public.  

This campaign should be spare-headed by a local chapter of the Red Cross, CitizenCorp, Boy/Girl Scouts of America, or another organization that specializes in disaster relief/response.

How FEMA can help:  They can fund the activity and pick the organizations that will manage the project in each city/town.  Also, they can donate FEMA materials such as the Ready America Kit.