Are You Prepared for All Hazards?
When a natural or human-caused disaster strikes Orange County, residents may be required to be self-sufficient for up to 5 days or more before help or assistance arrives. By personally preparing, volunteering, and learning about your community's hazards, you can help ensure that you and your community can respond to and recover from disasters more quickly. Creating a resilient community requires action in advance by us all.
Evacuations
Disasters can come at any time and may require you and your family to evacuate your home. Often these occurrences can come with very little notice. Preparation is critical to assist you with the potential stress and anxiety associated with needing to leave your home.
A significant part of the preparation for evacuation begins with knowing your evacuation zone and preparing a “Grab and Go Bag”. Knowing your zone and being prepared for evacuation will assist you and your family. Knowing your individual evacuation zone will assist with understanding critical messaging from responders. These messages will include protective actions for the effected evacuation zones.
Recommendations for a “Grab and Go Bag” can be found at Materials | ReadyOC
Evacuation Zone Map
Locate your address on the map below to identify the evacuation zone for your home or business.
Evacuation Terminology
Evacuation Warning (Yellow) – Issued by local authorities to alert residents and business owners of potential danger to an area, and to prepare for possible evacuation. Individuals that anticipate a need for more time to leave, have large animals, or medical conditions should use this warning as a signal to leave the area.
Evacuation Order (Red) – A directive from local authorities indicating that an immediate threat to your life is present. The area is closed to public access and for your safety you must leave immediately.
Shelter-In-Place (Purple) – Issued by local authorities to describe the act of seeking safety within a home, building or business. Follow directions from local public safety officials.
Prepare Your Family
Before a disaster, take steps to ensure that you and your loved ones can reunite, communicate, and meet your basic needs. Below are links to resources that can help you take action to prepare.
- Family & Business
- AlertOC: The Orange County emergency public mass notification system which can send you emergency alerts via text, email, landline and mobile phone numbers.
- ReadyOC: The Orange County emergency preparedness resource that provides information on current programs and awareness campaigns.
- Ready.gov: The Department of Homeland Security resource for information on hazards and how to prepare yourself, your family, your pets, and your business.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Pets / Livestock
Volunteer
No matter what your age or abilities, there is a disaster preparedness and response volunteer group that can provide you with information and training.
Learn
- The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) supports the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s goals by improving the competencies of the U.S. officials in Emergency Management at all levels of government to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of all types of disasters and emergencies on the American people.
- The International Association of Emergency Managers promotes the principles of emergency management; provides information, networking and professional development opportunities; and to advance the emergency management profession.
- The California Emergency Services Association is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to the promotion of mutual support and cooperation across disciplines in preparing for natural and human caused disasters and public emergencies.
