February

Posted on Posted in Events
February

Be prepared all year.

Winter preparedness in California circles around earthquakes, storm risks, mudslides, power outages, high winds and wildfires. Wildfires? Our hills are green and the weather is cool. Isn’t our fire season over? Contrary to what we may think, California is at peak fire risk. According to CalOES, some of the largest, deadliest and most destructive fires have occurred during the fall months in recent history. Earthquakes don’t take a winter break so we must be ready year-round. This is a good time to update emergency Go Bags, Pet Go Bags, Car Kits and Stay Kits with essentials and stay informed of conditions in your area.

Winter preparedness tips:

  • Have Go-Bags ready in case you need to leave your home in a hurry – Pet Bags too!
  • Be prepared for a potential power outage by gathering flashlights and charging devices early
  • Have a full tank of gas or your car fully charged and carry a Car Kit that includes a blanket, water, and food
  • If using a generator, keep it outside of your home
  • Check in with family, friends and neighbors who might need help
  • Go to CalAlerts.org to sign up to receive emergency alerts from your local officials
  • QuickMap.dot.ca.gov provides up-to-the minute road information on traffic, closures, chain control, and more

Winter is here but wildfires don’t take the season off
and in California, we don’t just have a wildfire season,
we have wildfire year.
CalFire

Power outages could last for several days – travel may be restricted after an earthquake or other emergency. A well stocked Stay Kit will provide the essentials you need and reduce stress. Be sure to include a manual can opener and eating utensils!

Suggested Emergency Supplies

Consider the following things when putting together a minimal emergency supply kit:

  • Store at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food – don’t forget your pets!
  • Choose foods your family will eat
  • Always have water stored for emergencies. 1 gallon per day per person
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Prescriptions and first aid supplies
  • Stash of cash. Power outages and network issues can render card readers, ATMs, and digital payment systems useless.

A more extensive kit could also have:

  • Portable power banks or generators, solar chargers, and lanterns.
  • Battery powered or hand-crank radio
  • Sleeping bags or warm blankets for each person, masks, basic tools
  • Camping stove with fuel or charcoal, heavy gloves, fire starter
  • Personal hygiene needs, garbage bags, duct tape
  • Copies of insurance, IDs, birth certificates, and physical paper maps

Ready.gov suggests the following items when selecting emergency supplies. You may already have many of these on hand. Download the Recommended Supplies List (PDF). Check out our Resources page for more information.

 

GET ALERTS

SMART 911

Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for Martinez Alerts. This system enables The City of Martinez to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, police activity, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods. You may specify your home, mobile or business phones, email address, text messages and more.

THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY COMMUNITY WARNING SYSYEM

The Contra Costa County Community Warning System (CWS) is one of the nation’s most modern and effective all-hazard public warning systems. CWS is an all-hazards system designed to alert the community of an emergency through multiple communication tools. CWS is generally not used for traffic alerts. Sign up to receive important alerts from CWS here.

KNOW YOUR ZONE

Be prepared for wildfires that may affect your home. Know when to act and what action to take. These notices are issued for a Zone with an evacuation status. Find out your home’s zone at CWS Know Your Zone . Zone Aware is now called genasys. Learn more here.

CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

California EOS provides alerts and messaging with critical information. Don’t let earthquakes catch you off guard! Seconds of advance warning can provide opportunity to take life-saving actions. Register for California Earthquake Early Warning. Wireless Emergency Services (WEA) is a nation-wide system providing lifesaving information for the State of California sent by state and local public officials. Register for these free services at Cal OES Alerts . Visit our Resources page for more!