County Emergency Manager reminds residents to prepare for an emergency.

Learn which disasters can impact our area and how residents can receive emergency notifications.

Reno, Nevada. Sept. 28, 2016. September is National Preparedness Month and Washoe County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is reminding residents what to do to prepare for disasters and emergencies. Each week in September, Washoe County Emergency Management is distributing personal preparedness tips to help people prepare by making emergency plans, assembling emergency kits, getting involved and staying informed.

Preparedness Tip #4: Stay Informed: It is important for all members of our community to learn what disasters or emergencies may occur within our communities. Washoe County plans for approximately 13 different hazards that could greatly impact our area. These events can range from those impacting only you and your family, such as a home fire or medical emergency, to those affecting your entire community, like an earthquake or flood.

• Learn which disasters or emergencies may occur in your neighborhood, and the best actions to take during each kind of emergency. Examples of potential hazards in the Washoe County region include earthquakes, wildfires, flooding, severe storms, disease outbreaks, and avalanches. To learn more, visit: https://www.washoecounty.us/em/preparedness/StayInformed.php.
• Learn about different weather alerts, such as watches and warnings. Pay close attention to any potential instructions provided at the end of the alert.
• During an emergency, local emergency management will continually be updating the media. Be sure to stay tuned to the various media outlets.
• Include a battery-operated radio or hand crank radio in your emergency kit, in case there is no power. Know where to tune your radio during emergencies, such as AM 780 KOH for civil alert emergencies and AM 1150 for public health emergencies.
• Register for emergency notifications by phone, called “CODE RED.” CODE RED is used to notify residents within Washoe County of emergency situations that could affect their neighborhood. To sign up, visit: https://www.washoecounty.us/em/RegionalAlerts.php.
• When traveling, learn about potential emergencies that may occur in the regions you will be visiting. Make sure you know what to do should an emergency occur.

For more information on staying informed, visit https://www.washoecounty.us/em/preparedness/StayInformed.php.

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