Emergency Planning

Natural disasters can happen anytime, to anyone.  When a sudden disaster strikes, you may not have time to prepare.  Town officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.  Knowing what to do is your best protection.  Careful planning helps ensure you’ll have what you need to get through an emergency.

Find out what types of natural disasters are most likely to happen and create a disaster plan.  Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for a disaster. In Westport and Weston, we face hurricanes in the fall, strong winter storms, great heat and potential power failures in the summer, and floods, either from the Sound or from our rivers at any time. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team.  Be sure to practice and maintain your plan every six months.

Inspect your home, both indoors and outdoors, at least once a year and fix potential hazards. Dead or rotting trees and branches can fall because of wind or ice and cause injury, damage to your home and power outages.  Be sure to prune trees regularly to reduce this threat of destruction and injury.  

Prepare emergency supplies.  Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your family’s needs for one week.  Store these supplies in sturdy, easy to carry containers, such as duffel bags.  Include the following items in your emergency supply bag.

	Flashlight
	Battery-operated radio
	Extra batteries
	Emergency food and water (one week supply per person)
	Essential prescription medicines (one week supply)
	First aid kit and manual
	Extra blankets
	Fire extinguisher
	Cash and credit card
	Extra pair of clothes and shoes (per person)
	Extra pair of eye glasses

If a disaster strikes remain calm and patient.  Put your plan into action!

Connecticut Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Information

Red Cross Family Disaster Planning

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  

Emergency Preparedness Program

The Westport Weston Health District maintains a confidential list of homebound Westport and Weston residents.  These individuals have special evacuation needs or are dependent on electricity, and lack a local support system.  Intervention by the Health District occurs during emergencies as the need arises.

The list is updated quarterly.  To place your name on the emergency preparedness list or for more information, contact the Health District at 227-9571.