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National Preparedness Month 

Vincent Echavaria

September is National Preparedness Month. Are you NYCHA-ready for an emergency? 

New Yorkers increasingly face greater risks from a multitude of extreme weather events and emergencies, especially if they live alone, are low-income or elderly, or have a disability. 

Get Ready By Being Informed  

  • One of the best ways to be prepared for an emergency is to stay informed. In addition to the resources below, you can stay informed by watching local news and weather on TV or listening to local radio.  
  • Your property manager will post notices in the lobby of your building and automated phone messages may be sent about the potential hazard with instructions on how to stay safe.   
  • Notify NYC, the City of New York’s official, free emergency communications program, will alert New Yorkers if there is an emergency near the area(s) of their choosing. 
  • Register for emergency notifications by visiting NYC.gov/notifyNYC, contacting 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115), or following @NotifyNYC on Twitter/X. (Notify NYC messages are available through many formats, including email, text messages, telephone, the Notify NYC website, RSS, Twitter/X, and American Sign Language videos). 

Know Your Zone 

  • If a big coastal storm is approaching, City officials may order residents in certain zones to evacuate depending on the hurricane’s track and projected storm surge. Knowing your hurricane evacuation zone and where you can stay can prevent stress and delays if you are asked to evacuate because of an incoming hurricane or coastal storm.  
  • The Hurricane/Coastal Storm Evacuation Zone Finder will let you know if you’re located in a zone and will show your nearest evacuation center. You can also call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) to find out if you live in a zone. You should plan to stay with family or friends who live outside of the evacuation zone if possible, and take public transit to avoid traffic. Remember, all legal pets are accepted at NYC’s shelters. If you need assistance with evacuating because of a mobility impairment, you can call 311. 
  • Every NYCHA building that is in a hurricane evacuation zone should have a notice or aluminum sign indicating its respective zone number. 

Plan Ahead 

  • Create a plan! Every member of the household should know what to do in an emergency. You can start with reviewing Ready NY’s My Emergency Plan workbook by clicking here.  

Click here for information about planning for people with disabilities.   

  • Assemble an emergency supply kit in case you need to shelter at home. Include enough food and water for your entire household (including pets) to last for several days. This should also include emergency cash, as access to electronic payments may not be available. 
  • Put together a “go bag” in case you need to evacuate in a hurry. Include food, water, clothing, and other items that meet your individual needs (such as medicines, medical supplies, batteries, and chargers). Also include copies of important documents.  
  • Create a support network of family, friends, neighbors, and others who can assist you during an emergency.  
  • Don’t forget to plan for any family pets. The My Pet’s Emergency Plan workbook outlines steps pet owners can take to ensure their pets are prepared for all types of emergencies. Click here to access the workbook. The workbook is available in additional languages here. 

Get Involved in Your Community  

  • Emergencies can happen fast, and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You can learn these steps when you take a first aid or CPR class through various organizations in your community (such as the American Red Cross).  

NYCHA Preparedness  

  • NYCHA’s Emergency Management and Services Department (EMSD) has attended several events since last year’s National Preparedness Month to bring preparedness to residents, such as Family Days, NYCHA in Your Neighborhood forums, and the Fire Safety Symposium. 
EMSD resource table at Family Day
  • Recently, NYCHA, in partnership with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and New York City Emergency Management, hosted the Federal Emergency Management Agency course “ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents” to train staff and external partners on the Incident Command System (ICS). EMSD’s very own Chancellor Gregg, Training and Exercise Coordinator, was one of the instructors of this course. 

Incident Command System (ICS) training for NYCHA staff and external partners

Visit New York City’s National Preparedness Month page at nyc.gov/npm for more resources to help you prepare this month, and all year round!  

For additional information on preparedness, visit ready.gov or nyc.gov/readyny.