The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) joined with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the first National PrepareAThon on April 30, which will help home and business owners become better prepared for natural disasters.

“Research shows that communities, families and individuals who prepare in advance for possible disasters are better able to recover from them and adapt to new or changing conditions,” says Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO. “Communities around the country are holding Prepare-A-Thon events April 30. The time to act is now—before disasters threaten. These events are perfect opportunities to learn how to make your home and business safer and stronger in the face of disasters.”

Find an event in your area on the PrepareAThon website. According to officials from IBHS, the first step in preparing for a disaster is knowing what risks you face. IBHS provides an interactive risk map on its website to help users identify their region’s risks by entering the local ZIP Code.

“A critical part of preparedness is making sure your home or business is disaster-resistant. Strengthening your building will make it more likely it will be there when you return after a disaster. A stronger, safer building will sustain less damage, making your community more resilient and requiring less federal and state aid to recover,” states Rochman.