LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan weather has never been especially predictable, but it’s grown even more volatile over the past decade or so. In 2026 alone, the state has seen severe thunderstorms, river and snowmelt flooding, and roughly 29 tornadoes since January, according to Michigan State Police (MSP) Director Col. James F. Grady II. Four of those events have led to state of emergency declarations from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Col. Grady, who also leads MSP’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, says that track record is exactly why Michigan and the country mark September as Preparedness Month. He explained why the timing matters this year in particular.
“It’s just a couple of weeks ago, we had some major storms, including a tornado in southeast Michigan,” Grady said. “Approximately 29 tornadoes have occurred since January of this year, and so this has resulted in four state of emergency declarations by the governor.”
Grady says MSP’s advice comes down to three steps: get informed about the hazards in your community, make a plan with your family, and build an emergency kit. He recommends every household be able to sustain itself for at least the first 72 hours after a disaster, before outside help can arrive.
“You need to have something to sustain you and your family for at least the first 72 hours of a disaster,” Grady said, listing water, non-perishable food, medications, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlights with extra batteries, and a first aid kit as essentials.
Grady says one of the biggest obstacles is human nature itself. Many families don’t take preparedness seriously until they’re already living through an emergency.
“Most of us don’t really prepare or plan the way that we need to until something happens,” he said. “Then it’s the shoulda, coulda, woulda.”
For families in northern Michigan, Grady points to last winter’s ice storm as a reminder that preparedness looks different once the snow flies. He says households should also keep a kit in their vehicles, including a lighter or matches and an extra blanket, in case they get stranded.
To reach younger residents, MSP is partnering with the Girl Scouts for a Preparedness Day event on Sept. 26. Grady says the goal is to get kids thinking about preparedness early and to introduce them to careers at the agency. The event follows a Prepare Fair MSP held last weekend in Lapeer County, hosted at a Home Depot with help from local nonprofits and agencies.
Grady says families looking for more detailed guidance, including planning templates, can visit the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division section of the Michigan State Police website.
