When an emergency happens, it is important to understand what to do to help keep you and your family safe. This could be evacuating immediately, preparing to evacuate, sheltering-in-place, or being rescued. Remember, if a public safety official tells you that need to evacuate it is because your safety is immediately threatened and you could be interfering in the work of emergency personnel by staying in an area.
For National Preparedness Month, Nevada County's Office of Emergency Services (OES) encourages residents to familiarize themselves with the evacuation language below and register for CodeRed, the County's emergency alert system, to prepare for an emergency event. FEMA also provides preparedness checklists and guidelines to make sure you and your family are prepared if an emergency happens.
Immediate Evacuation Order:
Requires the immediate movement of people out of an affected area due to an imminent threat to life. Choosing to stay could result in loss of life. Staying may also impede the work of emergency personnel. Due to the changing nature of the emergency, this Immediate Evacuation Order may be the only warning that people in the affected area(s) receive.
Evacuation Warning:
Alerts people in an affected area(s) of potential threat to life and property. People who need additional time should consider evacuating at this time. An Evacuation Warning considers the probability that an area will be affected and prepares people for a potential Immediate Evacuation Order.
Shelter-In-Place:
Advises people to stay secure at their current location by remaining in place as evacuation will cause a higher potential for loss of life.
Rescue:
Emergency actions taken within the affected area to recover and remove injured or trapped citizens. Responders have specific training and personal protective equipment necessary to accomplish the mission i.e., hazard material spill, swift-water rescue, etc. Boundaries of the areas where rescue is planned should be identified on the incident map with notification that entry is restricted to rescue workers only.
Prepare for a wildfire with the 2017-2018 Fire Season Guide created in partnership by Nevada County's Office of Emergency Services, Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, and local public safety agencies. If you need assistance signing-up for CodeRed, call Nevada County's Office of Emergency Services at (530) 265-1212.
