PRESS RELEASE

Above: Photo of a safety demonstration taking place during the 2018 READY Long Beach.

Long Beach, CA – On Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, the Long Beach Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), in partnership with other City of Long Beach departments, regional disaster response agencies and community partners, will host the 7th Annual READY Long Beach Community Preparedness Expo. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid on the California State University, Long Beach (Long Beach State) campus, located at 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd. Community members are invited to attend the event and learn about how to prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies.

“We are happy to announce the return of READY Long Beach this September in recognition of National Preparedness Month,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “READY Long Beach offers residents a unique, hands-on experience to learn about life-saving information and resources they need to prepare for emergencies and what to do after an emergency occurs.”

Over a dozen City departments and various disaster response agencies will participate in READY Long Beach, which will feature information booths, emergency preparedness demonstrations, emergency food and supplies for purchase, a kids’ fun zone, and emergency response vehicles. The expo is geared to provide residents with valuable information including:

• How to gather and store minimum supplies of food, water and other essential survival tools;
• How to take action to increase preparedness;
• How to build a family evacuation and response plan; and
• How to engage neighbors in disaster planning.

This free citywide event is open to the public. A welcome ceremony featuring City and community leaders will take place on the main stage at noon. Complimentary parking is available at Long Beach State in parking structure 1, off Atherton Avenue and Merriam Way.

"READY Long Beach is about building resiliency within our community. It is essential that we build a culture of preparedness through education and outreach,” said Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan. “We must meet the needs of our community with a specific emphasis on our vulnerable populations. Disasters know no boundaries. We are all in this together.”

READY Long Beach began in Long Beach in 2014 and is held annually each September as part of National Preparedness Month. After six consecutive years, the event took a three-year hiatus due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We began this Preparedness Expo almost 10 years ago. It is now the largest and most resourceful expo of its kind in Southern California,” said Reggie Harrison, Director of the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications. “It is never too late to prepare your family for a disaster, and this expo provides a great start.”

READY Long Beach is one of several events set to take place during Disaster Preparedness Month to help residents get prepared for natural disasters and other emergencies. More information on additional events will be provided at a later date. Disaster Preparedness efforts will continue into October, with the Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

More information about CERT is available on the Fire Department’s webpage at longbeach.gov/fire.

About the City of Long Beach 
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach. For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.