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September marks National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families and their communities safe.
Making sure the County is ready to handle natural and man-made emergencies falls on the shoulders of the Office of Emergency Services (OES). It’s nearly impossible to predict when the next disaster will hit Sacramento County, but OES staff know it’s important to be ready for what may come next whether it’s floods, fire or an attack. That’s why the County is encouraging people to learn how to protect themselves and their families from emergencies and disasters.
Starting a conversation today can help you and your family to take more action to prepare. By taking simple steps, you can build your preparedness at your own pace:
- Set aside a time when everyone is calm and relaxed.
- It may help to hold continuous discussions, so decisions aren’t rushed, and people feel more comfortable talking about the topic.
- Talk about steps you’ve taken to prepare and encourage others to ask questions about preparedness actions that might work for them.
You may not know when a disaster will happen, but you can begin to take easy but impactful steps now to keep your family safe.
The public can find more ways to protect themselves at sacramentoready.org. There you can learn the steps needed to prepare for an emergency or crisis.
Sacramento County residents are encouraged to sign up for Sacramento Alert at sacramento-alert.org to receive emergency alerts by email, phone or text. Residents will only receive alerts that are critical and time-sensitive, including: flooding, levee failures, severe weather, disaster events, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods in specific geographic locations.
The flooding that stuck the county in 2017 and 2023 disrupted lives and caused destruction totaling in the tens of millions of dollars.
The 2025 National Preparedness Month puts a spotlight on a topic many don’t think about. Planning ahead now means being ready when disaster strikes in the future.