LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County emergency managers are encouraging residents to make emergency preparedness their New Year’s resolution.
“The new year is a great time to think about emergency preparedness,” said Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Billy Samuels, who oversees the County’s Emergency Management Office. “Emergencies by definition are unpredictable but there are some key steps people can take to help themselves and their families be safe in the event of an emergency.”
Smartphone users can download the Southern Nevada Community Preparedness App to receive emergency alerts, safety tips, weather notifications and other information here.
pp users can create a personalized emergency preparedness plan and share their safety status with loved ones. Residents also can visit the Southern Nevada On the Alert website.
The three key steps for emergency preparedness are:
- Get a disaster supply kit. The kit should contain items for you and your family's basic needs for three days to two weeks, including food and water and unique needs such as supplies for infants, medically fragile family members and pets. You also should prepare an emergency kit for your car.
- Make a plan. Family members may not be together when an emergency occurs, so it's important to plan in advance how you will connect with one another. Choose a primary and secondary meeting place in case an emergency affects your home or neighborhood and designate an out-of-state contact for family members to call in case you are separated. It may be easier to call out-of-state than within an area affected by an emergency. Talk to your kids about what to do in an emergency if you are separated.
- Be informed. Understand the types of disasters most likely to occur in your area and what to do to stay safe. The top hazards identified in Southern Nevada are communicable disease, wildfire, flooding, earthquake and extreme heat. Power outages also can occur. In an emergency, stay tuned to local TV or radio stations for instructions and Clark County Television and social media sites including Twitter and Facebook via @ClarkCountyNV and on NextDoor under “Clark County.”
Officials also recommend these resources to learn more about emergency preparedness:
- Remember the “See Something, Say Something” campaign. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security developed the campaign to thwart terrorism and other criminal activity by encouraging citizens to report suspicious activity to the proper state and local law enforcement agencies. As part of the effort, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center have set up a 24-hour hotline for the public to report suspicious activity at (702) 828-8386.
- Go to County’s website and visit the Office of Emergency Management and the Fire Department’s web pages for safety tips and other information. Clark County TV also has created emergency preparedness PSAs on different topics that have been shared widely with local news media and on county social media sites. Topics include:
Clark County’s Emergency Management staff may be available to talk to community groups. For requests, contact the Preparedness and Recovery Coordinator at (702) 455-5715.
