Get Prepared

Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair

The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is hosting the second annual Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair on Friday, September 22 at Austin Community College Eastview Campus. The event is free, family friendly and open to the public. 

The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will teach attendees how to make a plan, build a kit, stay informed and help meet neighbors, and attendees will learn emergency preparedness information from the following partners:

• National Weather Service
• American Red Cross
• AT&T FirstNet
• Austin Disaster Relief Network
• Seton Ascension – Texas Medical Response Unit
• Integral Care
• Travis County Office of Emergency Management
• University of Texas Center for Disability Studies  
• Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services
• Austin Energy
• Austin Fire Department
• Austin Public Health
• Austin Office of Resilience
• Austin Watershed Department
• Austin Water

And more!

Ready Together: Basic Emergency Preparedness Classroom Training

This free, 2-hour course is open to community members, regardless of preparedness knowledge. The course will provide an introduction from the experts on how to practice the four steps of emergency preparedness: making a plan, building a kit, knowing your neighbors, and staying informed. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on how to prepare their home, family, and community for a variety of hazards.

Event: Ready Together: Basic Emergency Preparedness for You, Your Family & Your Neighborhood (Classroom Training)
Time: Thursday, September 28, 2023, 6-8 p.m.
Location: Montopolis Recreation & Community Center, 1200 Montopolis Dr., Austin, TX 78741

Attendees must register for the class to attend. Reserve a spot at: https://publicinput.com/readytogether
 

2023 Emergency Preparedness Pop-Ups

Austin's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management hosts monthly pop-up events throughout the city to promote public awareness and safety tips to prepare for various emergencies. HSEM partners with other city departments and non-government organizations to provide the public with a variety of services and information to be ready for the next emergency.

HSEM hosts these events at branches of the Austin Public Library in each City Council district to provide learning opportunities across the city. Some events may include information on specific types of disasters or emergencies that are more likely to impact the geographical area of the respective districts, like wildfire or flooding.

2023 Emergency Preparedness Pop-Up Events In Your District 

Council District  Third Wednesdays  Time* Location*    District 10    Wednesday, January 18, 2023  4-7 p.m.  Howson Branch  District 2   Wednesday, February 15, 2023   4-7 p.m.  Southeast Branch  District 8   Wednesday, March 15, 2023  1-4 p.m.  Hampton Branch  District 4   Wednesday, April 19, 2023  1-4 p.m.  Little Walnut Creek Branch    District 5   Wednesday, May 17, 2023  1-4 p.m.  Menchaca Road Branch  District 6   Wednesday, June 21, 2023  4-7 p.m.  Spicewood Springs Branch  District 7   Wednesday, July 19, 2023  4-7 p.m.  Yarborough Branch  District 3   Wednesday, August 16, 2023  1-4 p.m. Cepeda Branch District 9   Wednesday, October 18, 2023  4-7 p.m.  Twin Oaks Branch  District 1   Wednesday, November 15, 2023  4-7 p.m.  University Hills Branch

*Dates and locations subject to change. Check back regularly for updates. 

Heat Preparedness

Make emergency preparedness your superpower! Plan ahead for summer heat right now and check out our Heat Preparedness tips.

Flooding Preparedness

Make emergency preparedness your superpower! Plan ahead for flooding right now and check out our Flooding Preparedness tips.

Severe Weather Preparedness

Make emergency preparedness your superpower! Plan ahead for severe weather right now and check out our Severe Weather Preparedness tips.

Wildfire Preparedness

Make emergency preparedness your superpower! Central Texas carries the greatest risk for wildfires outside of California. Plan ahead for wildfire by creating a defensible space around your home and building a plan for when your home is threatened by wildfire.

Learn more from Austin's Wildfire Division's Wildfire Hub and with the Ready, Set, Go! program's Personal Wildfire Action Guide.  

Winter Weather Preparedness

Make emergency preparedness your superpower! Plan ahead for cold weather right now and check out our Winter Weather Preparedness tips.

Emergency Alerts and Language Access 

In an emergency follow austintexas.gov/alerts to get up to date emergency information in 13 languages. 

Translated Emergency Alerts 

During an emergency follow the Alerts page to get up to date information in your priority language.

ASL  |  Español  |  Tiếng Việt  |  中文 (简体)  |  नेपाली  |  한국어 |  ဗမာ (မြန်မာ)  | Kiswahili‎‎ | العربية  |  Français  |  हिन्दी  |  پښتو |  ትጊንርያ

Save or bookmark the Alerts page and let your family and friends who speak a language other than English know translations are available in the following languages.

      

       

      

      

Find emergency supply kit instructions in your priority language.

Make a Plan

Discuss with your family how you will respond, stay informed, and contact one another during emergency situations in which key services like electricity, water, or first responders may not be available. Once your initial plan has been created, make it a point to discuss it at least once a year and make updates as needed. 

A family plan should include: 

• A designated place to meet if you are separated – outside your home, or nearby.
• A plan to contact one another if you are unable to meet or get separated during a crisis.
• Public safety phone numbers (i.e. police, fire, and hospital) for your area.
• An out-of-area contact to communicate that you are safe and learn the status of the other family members.

To get started with your plan, click here to access a template provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once your plan is complete, consider laminating a paper copy AND saving an electronic version to a cloud drive and on your phone. That way, it is accessible in a variety of situations. 

Build A Kit

Having basic supplies on hand can make a disaster less stressful, and in some cases, the difference between life and death. Assemble an emergency supply kit with enough supplies for everyone in your house for seven days. You don’t have to do it all at once, and it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.

Start with the basics (i.e. water, food, first aid, and hygiene items) that can fit in a backpack or other portable container. Add to it as you are able (i.e. flashlight, extra batteries, portable charger, blankets, and cash) and consider unique supplies that pertain to different seasons. Understand the unique needs of you and your family and take those into account when building your kit. 

• Download your Emergency Supply Kit Checklist in one of several languages, click the link to find yours: Emergency Supply Kit Checklist
• Don’t forget your pet's needs.

Know Your Neighbors

Neighbors helping neighbors enhances community resilience and ensures that emergency resources will reach those in the greatest need. If you can help one of your neighbors, that could be one less emergency call that needs to be made. Reducing the strain on emergency services by helping each other can add up to make a big difference in a crisis. All this means that knowing your neighbors and identifying those who might need extra help during a disaster is critical to increasing Austin’s disaster preparedness.

You can prepare yourself and then get involved in the community to encourage disaster preparedness:

Learn CPR and basic first aid. It may save the life of a loved one or neighbor.

Take Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

Organize your neighborhood, homeowners’ association, apartment complex, or building to better prepare where you live for a disaster.

You are the help, until help arrives!

Five simple steps can help save a life.

• Call 911
• Stay safe
• Stop the bleeding
• Position the injured
• Provide comfort.

FEMA Community Tips can help guide you. 

Stay Informed

Knowing where you can get reliable information during an emergency is crucial. During a disaster, unreliable websites and social media can have incorrect, out of date, or even false information. It is important to know ahead of time where you will get critical updates about what is going on in the community.

Take the following steps now so you are better informed from reliable sources when disaster strikes:

• Warn Central Texas: Sign up for Warn Central Texas to receive emergency alerts letting you know when you need to take immediate action to stay safe.
• Accessible Hazard Alert System (AHAS): Sign up HERE for emergency alerts in American Sign Language, English voice, and text for people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, Blind, or Deaf and Blind OR by texting AHAS to (737) 241-3710.
• Alerts Page: follow austintexas.gov/alerts for key emergency information in real time in multiple languages. 
• Ready Central Texas mobile app: Download for iPhone or Android.

Emergency Preparedness Resources

Weather Tips from Austin Water

Austin Water urges customers to take steps now to prepare for freezing temperatures. While Austinites often enjoy mild winters, Winter Storm Uri of February 2021 demonstrated that we must prepare for more severe and prolonged freezing weather.

Power Outage Safety Tips from Austin Energy

Power outages are the result of a variety of causes — anything from traffic accidents, wildlife interference, and severe weather. They can occur on the brightest of sunny days and during our sudden, and sometimes severe, Central Texas thunderstorms.

Flood Safety Resources

Austin is in the heart of Flash Flood Alley. Use the links on this page to help protect yourself, your family, and your property from floods.

Resources for Minor Home Repairs

Austinites whose homes present health or safety hazards may need financial assistance. This program helps eligible homeowners make critical and necessary repairs. Minor Home Repair Grants are up to $5,000 per home.

Small Business Preparedness Resources

By taking small steps to create a preparedness plan, Austin small businesses can be ready for an event that severely disrupts operations, such as extended power outages, pandemics, or natural disasters. 

State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry 

Not every Texan has the means to prepare for an emergency on their own. For anyone who may need assistance during an emergency event, the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional needs members of their community may have.  

Registering in STEAR is voluntary and DOES NOT guarantee you will receive specific service during an emergency because available services may vary by community or the severity of the emergency.  

The Texas Department of Emergency Management has multiple ways to register for STEAR on its website. Please visit the site to determine which method is best to register yourself, a family member, or friend.  

People who should register for STEAR are those who:  

• have disabilities 

• are medically fragile 

• have access and functional needs such as: 

• limited mobility 

• communication barriers 

• require additional medical assistance during an emergency event 

• require transportation assistance 

• require personal care assistance. 

Again, registering for STEAR is free, voluntary, and does not guarantee assistance in an emergency. By registering in STEAR you are consenting to sharing your information with first responders and other state agencies during a disaster. Registering with STEAR will help first responders better prepare to serve you and your community in the event of an emergency.  

Neighborhood Preparedness Guide Neighborhood Preparedness Guide provides tips for actions you can take before, during, and after an emergency. All neighborhoods, including mobile home communities, apartment complexes, and high-rise buildings, are encouraged to use this guide. By working together, we can build a more resilient community. Use this guide to discover: Ways to help you plan for hazards (flooding, winter weather, and wildfires) Tools to build an emergency supply kit Resources for making an emergency plan for your family Templates for how to help your neighborhood plan for emergencies