September is National Preparedness Month, and Clark County officials are reminding residents about resources available to help them prepare for emergencies of all types.

“Preparedness Month is a good time of year to think about what your needs are in an emergency, whether you are an older person living alone or a family with children and pets,” said Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Billy Samuels, who oversees the county’s Emergency Management Division. “Fires, floods and other emergencies are unpredictable by nature, but there are some basic steps everyone can take to help themselves in an emergency situation.”

The top hazards identified in Southern Nevada by local emergency managers include communicable disease, wildfire, flooding, earthquakes and extreme heat. Power outages also can happen sporadically. 

Local emergency managers encourage residents to download the free Southern Nevada Community Preparedness App to help prepare and plan for emergencies. The app offers free weather alerts, safety tips and resources to help families create personalized emergency preparedness plans and disaster supply kits. The public also can sign up to receive free public safety alerts via text or email through a community notification system called CodeRED at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF1085069456.  Both tools have apps available from the Apple Store or Google Play. More details are on the Fire Department’s website pages at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov along with safety tips for a variety of situations.

This year’s theme for National Preparedness Month is focusing on preparing older adults for emergencies. Tips are available in multiple languages on the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website at  https://www.ready.gov/older-adults.The County’s Emergency Management Division will have an informational table set up at the Clark County Government Center in downtown Las Vegas for the week of Sept. 11-18 to encourage emergency preparedness for everyone.  Key steps for everyone include:

• Make a plan.  Talk to your family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster, and how you will connect if separated. 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 if separated. Teach youth to prepare for emergencies. Businesses, community organizations and families should participate in safety drills and exercises.
• Build a kit.  Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your household including food and water.  Consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly.  Include provisions for infants and medically fragile family members. You also should prepare an emergency kit for your car.       
• Be informed.   Know the risk of dangers in your area and check your insurance coverage. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards and act fast if you receive a local warning or alert. In an emergency, stay tuned to local TV or radio stations for alerts, instructions, and official notifications. Follow Clark County on social media @ClarkCountyNV.

These additional emergency preparedness resources also may be helpful:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency: www.Ready.gov.
• American Red Cross: www.redcross.org
• Southern Nevada Health District: www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org 
• Nevada Division of Emergency Management: www.dem.nv.gov
• Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department: www.lvmpd.com.
• Clark County Regional Flood Control District: https://www.regionalflood.org/

County Emergency Management staff may be available to talk to community groups. Requests can be directed to (702) 455-5715. In addition, Clark County Television (CCTV) 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:

• “Property Brothers” earthquake safety PSA with The Scott Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwbJhENzVCg
• Report suspicious activity to the local “See Something, Say Something” hotline at (702) 828-8386: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xWmWg3Oitw

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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect, accountability, leadership and excellence. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11^th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.3 million citizens and 41 million visitors a year (2022). Included are the nation’s 8^th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.