Planning for the Unexpected
ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / September 11, 2026 / FEMA instructor and disaster expert Cheryl Nelson explains why National Preparedness Month offers families a timely opportunity to assess how they would respond when an emergency disrupts daily life. Her guidance addresses practical household planning and resources that may support safety, communication, continuity and recovery.
WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE START
Having a plan is the best place to start, including establishing reliable ways to communicate and having essential supplies ready. T-Mobile reminds everyone that when emergencies strike, connectivity is crucial, helping people stay connected to loved ones, reach help and access critical information when it matters most. T-Mobile uses AI, satellite connectivity and response teams to help when communities need them. When disasters strike and demand is highest, T-Mobile is working to deliver the connectivity customers can count on this National Preparedness Month and beyond. For more information, visit www.t-mobile.com.
PREPARING A HOME FOR A DISASTER
When preparing a home for a disaster, backup power should be a cornerstone of the preparedness plan, but it is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Generac offers home standby generators that can automatically restore power within seconds, portable generators for flexible backup, and portable power stations for smaller spaces or people on the go. With power outages happening more often and lasting longer, having the right backup power solution can make a big difference when the grid goes down and give families greater peace of mind during an outage. For more information, visit www.generac.com.
A DISASTER PLAN
It is important to have a backup plan. When leaving home unexpectedly, whether for an evacuated family or a first responder, having a comfortable place to stay can make a difficult situation a little easier. An extended-stay hotel like ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham can help. Designed for longer stays, it offers the space and essentials guests need to maintain some sense of normalcy. These include comfortable suites with kitchens, on-site laundry, fitness centers, free Wi-Fi and dog-friendly accommodations. Find ECHO Suites locations at ECHOSuites.com.
SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE OVERLOOK
One thing people often overlook is protecting important records and memories. Epson's FastFoto FF-680W turns irreplaceable photos and documents into secure digital backups, keeping what matters most safe before disaster strikes. It can scan photos as fast as one per second, front and back, auto-upload files to Dropbox and Google Drive, and even help restore faded prints. That gives families an off-site backup if they need to evacuate and helps protect both records and treasured memories. The FastFoto is available for under $600 for a limited time at select retailers. For more information, visit epson.com.
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