WASHINGTON — In an effort to reach more communities at the onset of hurricane season, FEMA is launching a dual-language advertising campaign to educate and remind residents of the flood preparedness actions they can take to fit almost any budget.
The ads will be broadcast across iHeartMedia’s traditional and digital networks and will promote preparedness tips, aligning with FEMA’s equity goal to tailor disaster solutions that meet the unique needs of different communities. The ads will air in several hurricane-prone states, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.
“We are focused on eliminating the longstanding barriers underserved communities face during disasters. One way we are doing this is by meeting people where they are — in the languages they understand,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This new, bilingual campaign aims to ensure more communities are prepared for intensifying disasters by getting the word out in both English and Spanish, while sharing that wise flood preparation doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, if any at all.”
The ads will produce approximately 8,700 radio airings over iHeartMedia’s networks to an estimated reach of 61 million listeners with an additional 24 million listeners over digital networks.
FEMA’s partnership with iHeartMedia will use risk, income, Census and other data to ensure the ads reach underserved communities, providing important messages about flood risk awareness and protection options. Ads began Monday, June 20, and will run in English and Spanish through mid-July.
Free and low-budget flood preparedness tips that can protect homes, families and finances include:
- Store documents like passports and birth certificates in a flood-safe place.
- Elevate items that you want to protect.
- Toss out debris from gutters and drains.
For more information on flood preparedness visit the following sites:
FEMA’s Ready Campaign also launched a new webpage to help individuals with low and no-cost preparedness tips.
