When an emergency strikes, will you be ready? Long Beach is encouraging residents to get prepared with the return of the READY Long Beach Community Preparedness Expo.

The free community event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 at the Veterans Memorial Stadium parking lot at Long Beach City College (5000 E. Lew Davis St.), which will transform into a space for families to learn how to prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies.

If you’ve ever wondered how much food and water you really need per person in an emergency—or even the first steps needed to become prepared—this is your chance to find out.

Participants will come away knowing how to gather essential supplies, map out evacuation plans and even recruit their neighbors into the preparedness club. There will be opportunities to explore emergency response vehicles, watch preparedness demonstrations, browse resource and retail booths, and let the kids play in a dedicated fun zone.

Led by the Long Beach Fire Department, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications, READY Long Beach is the City’s biennial preparedness expo that fosters community education, preparedness and resilience – because emergencies can happen at any time.

More than a dozen City departments and disaster response agencies will be on hand, offering everything from hazard identifiers at home, work or school to ways you can volunteer when the community needs it most. Back for its eighth run (with a pandemic pause behind it), the expo has become a City staple for learning lifesaving skills while keeping things fun.

Whether you’re a preparedness newbie or the proud owner of a color-coded emergency kit, READY Long Beach is your chance to sharpen your preparedness and survival skills—because when it comes to disasters, it’s always better to be READ