Find Your Home’s Hazard Risks to Prepare for an Emergency

September is Disaster Preparedness Month, and it is an ideal time to think about the critical preparedness steps could reduce risks and protect you and your family in an emergency.

County Emergency Services has a free online Know Your Hazards Mapping Tool, where you can enter your home or business address and zoom in on a layered map of San Diego County that indicates wildfire, earthquake, flood and tsunami risk.

The tool also offers information about four hazards for San Diego County and includes ways to reduce the risk to your home or business and online resources for more preparedness information.

Wildfire is a year-round threat to many communities in San Diego County. Even if your home isn't in a high-risk area, look around and be aware, wildfires can shift direction due to weather conditions the fire may create within the area. Emergency officials recommend homeowners take steps to reduce the risk of wind-blown embers igniting on their home or property.

Many county residents live less than 15 miles from a fault that could set off a damaging earthquake, with varying degrees of severity depending on your proximity to where it originates. Because some faults may remain undiscovered, it is important to know what to do before, during, and after an earthquake.

Tsunamis would affect low-lying coastal communities and can damage docks, piers and boats in bays and harbors along the coastline, but if you frequent these communities, you could also be affected. It is important to recognize the signs of a possible tsunami and know what to do if one occurs.

Flooding is not common in all communities, but can cause damage and move buildings, large boulders, bridges, and roadways. Even if your home or business is not a flooding area, you might travel to canyons, valleys or low-lying areas for business or recreation that are in a flood zone.

For any disaster or emergency, the Office of Emergency Services suggests the following to stay informed:

• Register for AlertSanDiego, the County's Emergency Notification System
• Complete a Personal Disaster Plan and don't forget to consider specialized needs and your pets. As part of this, have emergency supplies you would need in an evacuation or shelter-in-place situation. Be ready to evacuate in 15 minutes or less, if ordered to go, or if you feel unsafe.
• Download the Genasys Protect App to receive emergency evacuation notifications.
• Seek official sources, like a fire or law agency or county or city for information on an emergency.
• Learn more online about preparing for disasters at AlertSanDiego.org.

County Emergency Services coordinates d isaster preparedness , mitigation , and supports response and recovery efforts across the unincorporated area and the 18 incorporated cities .