Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness is simply about taking steps now to ensure the safety of yourself, your family, and your community.

Preparedness occurs at all levels of government: federal, state and municipal, as well as in our personal lives. Our focus here is on preparedness for major storm events – whether a hurricane or a major snowstorm. On this site you will find information, tools and resources to help you prepare for losing power, sheltering in place or having to evacuate. Taking a few minutes now, to make plans and have the recommended supplies for an emergency Go Kit can save you precious time and worry.

Most Connecticut municipalities have an emergency alert system that will provide you with local information in the event of an emergency. Sign up now for your town!

The State of Connecticut also has an alert system.

Emergency Preparedness Websites:

  • Ready.Gov – this is the federal emergency preparedness website for all types of emergencies
  • Red Cross Prepare for Emergencies – the American Red Cross has a simple three step program for preparedness, as well as information on how to volunteer to help in emergency situations.
  • State of Connecticut – The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection provides information on the state framework for emergencies as well as topical information such as hurricane preparedness.
  • UConn EDEN – this is the UConn Extension Disaster Education Network. Here you will find numerous websites, as well as information in four categories: Agricultural Disasters and Security; Community Preparedness and Resiliency; Family & Home Preparedness; and Workplace Emergency Preparedness.
  • Coastal Storm Awareness Program - Connecticut Sea Grant, New Jersey Sea Grant, and New York Sea Grant awarded funds totaling $1.4 million to support ten social science research projects to improve community understanding and response to coastal storm hazard information as part of NOAA Sea Grant’s Coastal Storm Awareness Program. A short summary of these very interesting projects can be found on this website.