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Clark County officials are reminding the public that September is National Preparedness Month and resources are available to help people prepare for emergencies of all types.

“Fires, floods and other emergencies are unpredictable by nature,” said Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Brian O’Neal, who oversees the County’s Emergency Management Division. “Preparedness Month is a good time of year for everyone to think about what you and your family’s needs are in an emergency. An important first step is to identify your specific needs, whether you are an older person living alone, have children or pets or family members with special needs.”

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. Flyers in English and Spanish about the app are on the Clark County Fire Department’s website. The public also can sign up to receive free public safety alerts via text or email through a community notification system called CodeRED. Both tools have apps available from the Apple Store or Google Play. More details are on the Fire Department’s Office of Emergency Management website pages.

Each September National Preparedness Month encourages and reminds people to be prepared for disaster or emergencies in their homes, business and community. The County’s Emergency Management Division will have an informational table set up at the Clark County Government Center in downtown Las Vegas Monday, Sept. 8, through Thursday, Sept. 18, that will offer free emergency preparedness brochures and outreach materials to the public. The key steps for preparedness include:

1. 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, medication, and water and a NOAA weather radio. Your kit should include provisions for your family's unique needs such as supplies for infants, medically fragile family members and pets.

2. Create an emergency plan. Family members may not be together when a disaster strikes, 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 the event they are separated. In an emergency situation, it's often easier to call out-of-state than within an affected area.

3. Be informed. In an emergency, stay tuned to your radio or TV for instructions and information. Keep a hand-cranked or battery-powered radio (with extra batteries) on hand in case of a power outage.

These additional emergency preparedness resources also may be helpful:

County Emergency Management staff may be available to talk to community groups. Requests can be directed to (702) 455-5715. The public is encouraged to sign up for the 2025 Great Nevada ShakeOut, which is part of a worldwide earthquake safety drill occurring at 10:16 a.m. on Thursday Oct. 16. Additionally, 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:

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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.4 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2023). Included are the nation’s 5th-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.

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