Dear fellow Bostonians,

Together with the rest of the nation, we have watched tragedies take place across this nation, from terrorist attacks to the devastation of hurricanes. While Boston residents provided generous and heartfelt support to the victims, they also wondered how Boston would cope with a large-scale emergency. In thinking about our response to a major emergency, the safety of our residents must be foremost.

Over the past several years we've made great progress in anticipating emergencies and preparing our key agencies. However, the recent events in New Orleans reminded us of the importance of constantly working to update and improve our preparedness plans.

While City officials and agencies have important roles, we understand that we can't do it alone. Preparedness is a shared responsibility. We need your cooperation and support if we are to minimize the damage caused by a disaster. That is why we have written Ready Boston, which contains important information that you need to know about preparing for all types of emergencies.

I hope that you will find this information useful in preparing yourself and your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Mayor Thomas M. Menino