A written household emergency plan ensures everyone knows what to do, where to go, and how to communicate when an emergency strikes.

• Identify two meeting places — one near your home, one outside the neighborhood
• Designate an out-of-area contact who can serve as a central point of communication
• Plan for pets and livestock — they're family too
• Account for special needs (medications, mobility, dietary)
• Review and update your plan at least once a year

Emergencies are expensive. Building a financial cushion protects your family from the unexpected costs of evacuation, repair, and recovery.

• Start an emergency savings account — even $500 makes a difference
• Goal: build up to 3-6 months of essential expenses
• Keep some cash on hand — ATMs and card readers may not work after a disaster
• Know your insurance deductibles and have them available

A plan you've never practiced is just a piece of paper. Regular drills build muscle memory so your family responds instinctively under pressure.

• Practice fire evacuation from every room of your home
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly
• Drill shelter-in-place procedures (severe weather, hazardous materials)
• Practice reunification at your designated meeting places
• Run drills at different times of day — including at night

During emergencies, local phone lines may be jammed. A well-tested communication plan keeps your family connected when it matters most.

• Designate an out-of-state contact — long-distance lines often work when local ones fail
• Make sure every family member memorizes important phone numbers
• Keep printed emergency contact cards in wallets and backpacks
• Test the plan twice a year by actually calling the contact
• Know how to text — texts often go through when calls fail

Critical documents are nearly impossible to replace quickly. Protect them now to avoid weeks of paperwork battles after a disaster.

• Store originals in a waterproof, fireproof container at home
• Make digital copies stored securely in the cloud
• Give a copy set to your out-of-area contact
• Documents to include:
  • IDs, passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards
  • Insurance policies (home, auto, health, life)
  • Medical records and prescriptions
  • Financial records, bank info, will/trust documents
  • Property deeds, vehicle titles

Your neighbors are your first line of help during a disaster. Building those relationships before a crisis creates a stronger, more resilient community.

• Introduce yourself to neighbors and exchange contact info
• Identify elderly, disabled, or vulnerable individuals who may need help
• Discuss shared resources — generator, chainsaw, vehicles
• Plan who checks on whom after a major event
• Consider organizing a neighborhood emergency group

Mitigation reduces the damage when disaster strikes. Small home improvements today can prevent major losses tomorrow.

• Know how to shut off gas, water, and electricity
• Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Secure water heaters and heavy furniture to walls
• Trim trees and clear branches that could fall on your home
• Clear gutters and drains before storm season
• Consider storm shutters or impact-resistant windows
• Maintain a working fire extinguisher on every floor

🏠 Retrofitting Your Home

The most important precaution you can take to reduce damage to your home and property is to protect the areas where wind can enter. According to recent wind technology research, it is important to strengthen the exterior of your house so wind and debris do not tear large openings in it.

You can do this by protecting and reinforcing these five critical areas:

A great time to start securing — or retrofitting — your house is when you are making other improvements or adding an addition. Remember: building codes reflect the lessons experts have learned from past catastrophes. Contact the local building code official to find out what requirements are necessary for your home improvement projects.

When evacuations are ordered, roads jam fast. Knowing your routes — and alternates — could mean the difference between safety and being stuck in traffic during a storm.

• Identify your hurricane evacuation zone using the Know Your Zone tool
• Plan at least 2 routes out of your neighborhood
• Know the location of nearest shelters
• Practice driving the routes before you need them
• Keep your gas tank at least half full during storm season

📢 Monmouth County Evacuation Instructions

Monmouth County uses the following evacuation instructions:

The above evacuation conditions are considered when a storm or incident is expected to affect a large portion of the county. Local Public Safety Officials may enact similar evacuation conditions when a storm or emergency is more geographically specific to a particular community.

Regardless of the type of evacuation, residents are encouraged to stay with family or friends who live outside of the pre-designated evacuation zones. Municipal Reception Centers and County Shelters will be opened, but should only be used as a last resort.

Evacuation orders are issued by pre-designated zones: A, B, C, or D. Evacuation orders will be disseminated through all available commercial and social media outlets.

🗺️ Find Your Zone — Know Your Zone Page

🏠 Evacuation Shelters & Municipal Reception Centers

Ensure you and your family are prepared before the next disaster impacts your community. Following an emergency or disaster, you may lose access to basic services such as power and water, and be subject to limited or no access to essentials like food and water. Stock up on essentials now and build a disaster supply kit to last you and your family for a minimum of 3 days.

Each individual or family disaster supply kit will differ based on personal needs. Review the list below to help you get started on basic items to include. Assess your individual and family needs to determine other critical items to include.

💧 Emergency Food and Water Supplies (NJ OEM) ↗

The strongest communities are built before disaster strikes. Get trained, get involved, and become part of the solution.

• Join the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) — free training in disaster response
• Volunteer with local Red Cross chapter
• Take first aid and CPR classes
• Register for Medical Reserve Corps if you have healthcare skills
• Attend community preparedness workshops
• Help organize neighborhood preparedness events

🚨 Learn About Monmouth County CERT

If disaster strikes, proper documentation and insurance can be the difference between full recovery and devastating loss.

• Take a video walkthrough of your entire home (open closets and drawers)
• Photograph high-value items with serial numbers visible
• Keep receipts and appraisals for valuable possessions
• Review your homeowner's or renter's insurance annually
• Consider flood insurance — even outside high-risk zones (regular policies don't cover floods)
• Understand your deductibles and exclusions
• Store insurance documents and inventory off-site or in the cloud