Each September the nation encourages citizens to prepare ahead of time for emergencies, to protect their family, home and assets. It might seem like an overwhelming task, but it will be easier to get started if you break it down into these three basic steps:
Get Prepared
Be Informed - It's important to become familiar with the different types of hazards that are likely to impact your community or neighborhood. Follow local news and official alerts and warnings. Learn what to do before, during and after specific types of disasters by downloading Hazard Specific Fact Sheets.
Make a Plan - Before a disaster strikes, talk with your family about what you will do in case of an emergency. How will you contact each other? Do you have your family's important contact information (like work, school, medical) stored in your phone or in a document? How will you reconnect if separated during a disaster? Do you have a designated meeting place? Get started by filling out Ready WV’s Family Emergency Plan. When making your emergency plans, also consider your pets, those with special needs and a caregiver’s considerations.
Build a Kit - When a natural or man-made disaster strikes, you may not have enough time to get prepared, find emergency contact information, and gather important documents or basic emergency supplies, like medicines, food and water, especially if you must evacuate quickly. To be ready for any type of emergency, it is important that you prepare ahead of time. Start by gathering and storing supplies that you might need. Copy important documents such as home and medical insurance policies, medical information, credit card, bank accounts, and other financial documents. Store hard copies in a water/fireproof safe and store a digital copy in the cloud. Learn more about Safeguarding Critical Documents and Valuables.
Get Involved in Disaster Preparedness & Relief
Work With Your Neighbors
- Connect: Exchange contact info and create a neighborhood phone tree.
- Check In: Support vulnerable neighbors (elderly or disabled) during storms and outages.
- Learn & Practice: Host first responders at local meetings and run regular fire drills.
Volunteer for Disaster Relief
- National Organizations: Join groups like the American Red Cross to assist with blood drives, disaster response, or medical services.
- Local Nonprofits: Help organizations like the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, local food pantries, community centers, or clinics that supply aid during emergencies.
Want to learn more about Getting Prepared and Getting Involved?
- Join us for the FREE Ready WV Preparedness Webinaron September 2, 2026, at 1pm. Register Here!
- Download the Personal Prep Starter Kit and visit Ready.WV.gov/Volunteer.