WASHINGTON -- FEMA’s Ready Campaign and the National Football League's Buffalo Bills teamed up to encourage football fans to prepare for emergencies.
In two new public service announcements (PSA), FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and the team’s mascot, Billy Buffalo, urge fans to gear up for disasters.
“As a football fan, I am thrilled to collaborate with the NFL and Buffalo Bills to help ensure that people in Buffalo and across the nation are prepared when disaster strikes,” said Administrator Criswell. “Players and fans alike know exactly how to prepare when it comes to a big game or hosting a tailgate, and those skills -- thinking ahead, gathering supplies and bringing together your community -- are the same skills used to plan for disasters.”
“Health and safety is a major priority of our organization, whether it’s on the field or for our legion of Bills Mafia that visit our stadium each year,” said Buffalo Bills General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Business Administration Kathryn D’Angelo. “We fully support FEMA’s Ready Campaign of helping our community
during major weather events. Their efforts and preparedness can hopefully make a big difference during a stressful time of an emergency.”
In the PSA, which was filmed at the Buffalo Bill’s Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York, Administrator Criswell and Billy Buffalo encourage people to know your risks, make a plan with friends and family and build an emergency supply kit. You can also watch a similar nationwide PSA here.
The PSAs acknowledge that disasters can happen any time. They praise the strong, resilient Buffalo community’s resilience in the face of the December 2022 devastating snowstorm, making it especially relevant that this preparedness message will be highlighted at the Buffalo Bill’s Oct. 1 home game.
“This year the nation has seen increasingly frequent and severe weather events -- from wildfires out west to extreme winter weather in the Northeast,” added Criswell. “These disasters can happen anytime and happen anywhere. That’s why I encourage everyone to visit Ready.gov or Listo.go to learn more about what to do before disaster strikes.”
Watch Administrator Criswell and Billy Buffalo spread their preparedness messages on FEMA’s YouTube channel.