Be Disaster Ready.

Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, and when disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. Depending on the disaster – a hurricane, winter storm, or hazardous material spill – you could be confined to your home without water and electricity for days, or you may be asked to evacuate the area.
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Before, during, and after a disaster, local officials and relief volunteers will be working hard to keep people safe. However, they may not be able to reach everyone quickly, so it is important to plan ahead before disaster strikes.

Make a Plan.

Create an emergency plan, including plans for evacuation or sheltering in place.

• Know if you are in a flood zone. Take steps to protect your property, and if at risk for flash flooding , watch for warning signs like heavy rain.
• If you or someone in your household has medical or functional needs that would place you at higher risk during an emergency event, sign up for the New Hanover County Special Needs Registry.
• Have a communication plan with your household that includes how you’ll get in touch should a disaster strike. 

Build a Kit.

Build an emergency supply kit with enough supplies for 7 to 10 days for each household member, including pets.

• Consider family members’ specific needs like medication and dietary restrictions.
• Include pets in your emergency planning and kits.
• Keep important documents in a safe place or create password-protected digital copies. 

Stay Informed.

Learn about local hazards that could impact our area

• Register for emergency alerts by phone, text or email
• Sign up for New Hanover County emergency news updates
• Subscribe to National Weather Service updates
• Follow vetted and accountable sources on social media, like New Hanover County, City of Wilmington, United Way of the Cape Fear Area, Support the Port and other New Hanover Disaster Coalition community partners.​

Special Populations.

Here are some resources to help you learn more about preparedness planning for special populations like children, older adults and those with disabilities:

Children

• Meet Ready Wrigley, the preparedness pup.
  • The CDC has put together information to help have conversations with children about disaster preparedness and recovery with the help of our friend Ready Wrigley.
• For Teachers and Childcare workers
• Ready.gov/kids
• Resilient Children Resilient Communities Toolbox
• Digital Resources for Students with Autism

People with Disabilities

• Disability and Health Emergency Preparedness
• Ready.gov for individuals with disabilities
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder
  
  

Older Adults

• New Hanover County Special Needs Registry
• Ready.gov/seniors

Businesses.

Ready Business. Hurricane toolkit on preparedness- Download here
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