Make A Plan

The Hays County Emergency Preparedness Program coordinates the countywide preparedness for large-scale emergencies and disasters. The program is responsible for disaster planning, response, recovery, and training.

Many of our citizens are concerned about the possibility of an emergency such as natural disaster, act of terrorism, or disease outbreak. You can take steps now to help you prepare and be ready to cope if an emergency occurs.

To help you prepare, we have provided actions which you can take in advance to protect yourself and your loved ones. There are two types of kits when preparing an Emergency Supply Kit.

#1 a Shelter-in-Place kit which can sustain you and your family for two weeks.

#2 an Evacuation kit which can sustain you and your family for three days.

When determining what to stock in your Evacuation kit, consider items which have multiple uses. For example, a Multi-tool which has a knife, file, can opener, pliers, and snips takes up less space and weight than if you were to pack each one of those items separately.

Build a kit

Food and Water

Water—one gallon per person, per day
Food—Non-perishable, 3 day supply

Electronics

Flashlight-extra batteries
Battery powered, solar, or hand crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Cell phone with chargers/portable back-up charger

Health and safety supplies

Clear trash bags, towelettes
First aid kit, flares, chemlites,
Bleach, iodine, hand sanitizer
Personal medication (30 day supply) and other medical supplies, documents for any on-going medical condition
Emergency blanket
Toiletries to include toilette paper

You should also keep:

Family and emergency contact information

Multipurpose tool with knife and can opener
Matches in waterproof container
Whistle, signal mirror, compass
Sewing kit
Important family documents, recommend scanning and saving to a USB drive allowing originals to be stored in a safe deposit box
Extra cash, roll of quarters
Local map(s) of the area
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Duct tape, 50ft of nylon cord
Infant formula, food, diapers
Pets-carrier, food, leash, muzzle
Extra clothing, sleeping bag, blankets
Toys, books, board games to occupy children and others

Create a Family plan

Complete a contact card for each family member. Contact Cards should include all family members phone numbers along with friends or relatives to contact in case of an emergency. Choose an out of town contact for all family members to notify they are safe. It may be easier to make a long distance call versus a call across town during an emergency. Keep these cards in a wallet, purse, or backpack.

Choose a reunification location. Identify a location in advance where all members of the family can meet in the event your home has been compromised by disaster.

Create a Family Preparedness Plan. Your family's plan should include situations when you are together or away at work or school. Plan for each possible disaster situation. Whether you have to evacuate your home or you need to shelter in place, have a plan ahead of time.

Your plan should address these considerations:

Primary and alternate evacuation destinations and routes.
Public Shelters
Shelter in Place 72-96 hours
Utilities shutoff and safety
Pets/service animals/livestock
Special dietary and/or medication considerations

Review these plans with all members of your family and update annually.

Resources:

Family Emergency Communication Guide (PDF)
Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (PDF)
Emergency Plan for Families or (PDF)
Emergency Plan for Kids or (PDF)
Emergency Plan for Commuters (PDF)
Pet Owners (PDF)
Family Emergency Communication Planning Document (PDF)
Family Emergency Communication Plan Wallet Cards (PDF)
Know Your Alerts and Warnings (PDF)
Protect Critical Documents and Valuables (PDF)
Document and Insure Your Property (PDF)
Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (PDF)
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Disaster Checklist (PDF)
Make a Plan (Video)

stay informed

It’s important that you and your family know what to do before, during, and after an emergency. This means understanding which emergencies are likely to occur in your area and specific responses to each one. Keep this website in your favorites and "Like" our Facebook page.

You can Register your phone to receive information about potential threats through text and voicemail alerts.

During emergencies, tune to your local cable or satellite TV provider’s emergency information station for important announcements. You can also visit HaysInformed.com or the Hays County Official Facebook page.

Additional Links

Sign up for emergency alerts at:

get involved

Once you have prepared yourself and your family, get involved in strengthening your community. Join the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). CERT actively involves citizens in making our community safer, stronger and better prepared. Go to Hayscountycert.com to get involved.

The Hays County Robotics Taskforce mission is to embrace technologies that help first responders and Hays County citizens by improving life safety, property conservation, and incident stabilization while protecting the privacy and safety of its residents.

Hays County Sheriff's Office HB912 Report