September is "Emergency Preparedness Month," which a great time to get prepared for a disaster, and spruce up your emergency kit. This year has shown us more than ever that we MUST prepare for the unexpected. Orange County is prone to many disasters, including pandemic, earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, flooding, terrorism, gas or chemical leaks, and more. Disasters can force people to leave their homes, even in areas under stay-at-home mandates. By having an emergency plan, you and your family will be able to pick up and go if an emergency is activated by the County. Preparing for a disaster occurs before, during, and after the emergency occurs. Please see all of the resources below to help you and your families prepare in the case of an emergency. 

Our local Red Cross is offering free virtual preparedness presentations throughout the month of September. All presentations are hosted by Red Cross disaster experts and are open to the public. Presentations will be hosted on Zoom:

Date: Friday, September 18, 2020

Time: 10:00 a.m. (PST)

Topic: Wildfire Preparedness

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3jsBUuU

Date: Friday, September 25, 2020

Time: 4:00 p.m. (PST)

Topic: Earthquake Preparedness

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/2Gfwjd9

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Time: 10:00 a.m. (PST)

Topic: Home Fire Preparedness

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3hJBmR3

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Time: 6:00 p.m. (PST)

Topic: Game Night - Put Your Preparedness Knowledge to the Test!

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3hLFZd8

For more information, visit redcross.org/prepare or download the free Red Cross Emergency App, which includes severe weather alerts, preparedness checklists, step-by-step instructions on what to do if an emergency is occurring in your area, and so much more. Follow @SoCal_RedCross on Twitter for the latest disaster updates and more. Resources for preparing during the COVID-19 pandemic are available at redcross.org/coronavirus. For wildfire safety tips, visit redcross.org/wildfire.

You may also find more information on disaster preparedness at:

Orange County Sheriff’s Department – Emergency Management

Download the free ReadyOC app to make a family emergency plan and get a checklist for what to put in your emergency kit.

Sign up to receive emergency alert updates from the Orange County Sheriff Department - Emergency Management Division on your phone by registering your phone number on the mobile app AlertOC, a mass notification system that provides a critical link for Orange County residents to be notified immediately of any life saving actions, such as evacuating their homes during a fire.

Check out the resources below, which highlight what to do before, during, and after a disaster.

Before a disaster: https://www.ocsd.org/divisions/fieldops/emergency_management/resources_before_a_disaster

During a disaster: https://www.ocsd.org/divisions/fieldops/emergency_management/resources_during_a_disaster

After a disaster: https://www.ocsd.org/divisions/fieldops/emergency_management/resources_after_a_disaster

Orange County Fire Authority

Planning for disaster information:

https://ocfa.org/SafetyPrograms/DisasterPreparedness.aspx#resources (Flyers available on the website)

CAL FIRE

Information on web-based app to create a custom wildfire preparedness plan and get text messages on wildfire incidents near you.

https://www.readyforwildfire.org/