Emergency Alerts & Warnings Readiness Checklist: 14 Items
Set up and understand authoritative local disaster warnings before a storm, wildfire, evacuation, or other emergency.
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๐ก๏ธ Prepare Before an Emergency
Notes: Save your city or county emergency management contact and follow current instructions.
Save your city or county emergency management contact and follow current instructions.
Notes: Agree on a meeting point or short check-in message; keep contact information private.
Agree on a meeting point or short check-in message; keep contact information private.
Notes: Confirm safe water, medicines, and a charged radio or phone are accessible.
Confirm safe water, medicines, and a charged radio or phone are accessible.
Notes: Save its website, phone number, and official alert channels.
Save its website, phone number, and official alert channels.
Notes: Check notification settings on every household device.
Check notification settings on every household device.
Notes: Consider NOAA Weather Radio or a battery-operated radio.
Consider NOAA Weather Radio or a battery-operated radio.
Notes: Know when to prepare and when immediate protective action is required.
Know when to prepare and when immediate protective action is required.
โ ๏ธ Respond Safely When Needed
Notes: Alerts may not apply to every address in a county.
Alerts may not apply to every address in a county.
Notes: Follow evacuation, shelter, road closure, or boil-water orders as applicable.
Follow evacuation, shelter, road closure, or boil-water orders as applicable.
Notes: Use brief texts when calls cannot connect.
Use brief texts when calls cannot connect.
Notes: Compare information with local authorities and NWS updates.
Compare information with local authorities and NWS updates.
๐ Recover, Maintain & Review
Notes: Preserve backup batteries for essential communications.
Preserve backup batteries for essential communications.
Notes: Do not assume a warning expires when rain or wind stops.
Do not assume a warning expires when rain or wind stops.
Notes: Update when you move, travel, or change schools or jobs.
Update when you move, travel, or change schools or jobs.
Complete Guide
How to Use This Checklist
Set up and understand authoritative local disaster warnings before a storm, wildfire, evacuation, or other emergency.
Follow current alerts and instructions from local officials. Hazards, climate, geography, access requirements, and household needs can change which actions are appropriate.
Important Safety and Scope Notes
This practical checklist is an independent, English-language adaptation of the Ready.gov preparedness topic. It does not reproduce FEMA publications and is not endorsed by FEMA or any U.S. government agency.
Use this checklist to organize preparations and recovery tasks. In an active emergency, follow the latest official instructions rather than relying on a static checklist.
Related & Useful Checklists
Open a related checklist for supporting tasks and household planning.
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