Personal Health Preparedness

Large-scale disasters or public health emergencies can limit your access to supplies and services for several days or weeks. These can include disasters like a tornado or lengthy power outages. Take the opportunity to customize your emergency kit with the personal items you need. Visit Minnesota's Department of Health Natural Disasters and Severe Weather web page to learn more.

3 Steps to Personal Preparedness:

1. Create an Emergency Plan

Creating an emergency plan is one of the most important steps you can take to prepare your family. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it's important that all family members understand the emergency plan. 

For more information, or to complete an Emergency Plan, visit 

2. Build Your Own Emergency Kits- for home, work and car

Create an emergency kit that can support you and your family for at least three full days. A larger kit will be able to sustain you and your family over a longer period of time. Consider having multiple weeks worth of food and water at home to get through the most challenging time period. Older adults and people with disabilities may have unique situations that should be taken into consideration. 

  • Visit Ready.gov for more information on creating emergency kits including basic disaster supplies and emergency supplies checklists.
  • Are You Ready? A rich resource with plan-ahead disaster information. It includes information on extreme heat, wildfires, tornadoes, flooding, active shooter, nuclear explosion, cybersecurity, volcanoes and more.
  • Individual/Family Preparedness.  Information on general preparedness, natural disasters, disease hazards, food and drinking water safety in emergencies, radiological hazards and more.
  • Older Adults
  • Individuals with Disabilities
  • Animals

3. Get Involved- Train or Volunteer

Learn basic how-to preparedness skills to protect your health and safety until help arrives. Always call 911 first in a life-threatening emergency. Volunteering is also one great option to increase overall community preparedness. Consider volunteering with Carver County's Medical Reserve Corps.  For more information contact Carver County's MRC Program Coordinator at mrc@co.carver.mn.us, or (952) 361-1329.

Severe Weather Awareness

Residents are encouraged to prepare and practice severe weather emergency plans in their home and worksite. Outdoor warning sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of each month throughout the year in Carver County. Outdoor warning sirens are used during severe weather to alert residents who are outdoors to seek shelter. Follow these links to the Carver County Emergency Management website for outdoor warning siren and severe weather information:

Weather officials and safety experts suggest every family should have a weather radio. Weather radios broadcast official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information. According to the National Weather Service, "NOAA radios should be as common in homes and public places as smoke detectors!" NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - part of the Department of Commerce. Radios are available at many online sites and local electronic retailers.

  • NOAA Weather Radio Keep your battery-operated radio tuned to your local emergency station. If possible monitor TV and radio, and follow mobile alert and mobile warnings about severe weather in your area.
  • Download the FEMA app. Receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States.
  • Twin Cities PBS has dedicated Channel 2.5 to weather, health, safety and emergency response in 4 languages (English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali). You can learn more about it here: https://www.tpt.org/post/introducing-tpt-now/.