Prepare NJ

Prepare New Jersey

Outdoor Safety

two people helping another person on a hiking trail that has an injury on her leg.

Spring has sprung! Before you head out to enjoy New Jersey’s parks or hiking trails, take these simple steps to help you stay safe on your adventure:

Learn What to Pack in Your Hiking First Aid Kit
Know the level of ability of the people in your group and the environment around you. Plan accordingly.
Wear layers of light-weight clothing, sunscreen and a hat.
Stay hydrated and know the signs of heat-related illnesses.
Share your plans and locations with a family member, neighbor or friend.
Be prepared - Download the Red Cross First Aid App.

Going on a road trip? Carry an emergency supply kit in your trunk, ensure someone knows your destination, route, and estimated arrival time, pay attention to the weather forecast for your destination, and don’t let your gas tank get too low. Learn more steps you can take to stay safe on the highway.

Severe Weather Safety

lightning striking above a town in the night sky.

Springtime in New Jersey can bring a variety of weather events. Prepare in advance of potential severe weather to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your home.

Help Teach Children About Preparedness

Watch Pedro the Penguin learn how to be prepared for a power outage and take action during a tornado with our Red Cross Kids Videos playlist on YouTube!
English and Spanish

Tornado Safety

Tornadoes are violent and can occur quickly with little or no warning, and New Jersey has had several tornadoes these past few years. It is crucial to pay attention to any tornado WATCH or WARNING when issued and act accordingly.

Before the Storm:

Watch for tornado danger signs such as dark, often greenish clouds, a wall cloud or cloud of debris, large hail, a roaring noise or funnel cloud.
Identify a safe place in your home where household members and pets will gather during a tornado: a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
In a high-rise building, pick a hallway in the center of the building. You may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor.
In a mobile home, choose a safe place in a nearby sturdy building. If your mobile home park has a designated shelter, make it your safe place. No mobile home, however it is configured, is safe in a tornado.

More Tornado Safety

Flood Safety

Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods can result from rain, snow, coastal storms, storm surges, overflows of rivers, and dam failure. Floods can be dangerous. People die by drowning when they don’t evacuate before floodwaters come or when they enter floodwaters. Floods can damage buildings and roads, cause power outages, and create landslides.

Understand Your Flood Risk

Learn about the types of flooding that can impact your home and community. Types of flooding include flash floods, river floods, storm surges, coastal floods, burn scars, debris flows, ice/debris jams, snowmelt, dry wash, dam breaks, and levee failures.
Reach out to your local office of emergency management for advice.
Know your home and community’s flood risk. Visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and search for your home using your address.

Make Plans to Stay Safe

Flash floods can be sudden and violent. You may have little to no warning. Designate a place on higher ground that you can get to quickly. Plan to move to higher ground before flooding begins.
River floods: Know if you are in an area that is prone to river floods. Review your evacuation plan so that you can leave quickly if officials advise you to evacuate.
Storm surge: Be prepared to evacuate immediately if local officials advise. A storm surge can cause water levels to rise quickly and flood large areas in just minutes.
Coastal flooding: Be prepared to evacuate immediately if local officials advise. Move inland before flooding begins.

Flood Safety Checklist

More Flood Safety

Home Fire Safety

Help keep your family safe by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your fire escape drill.

Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.
Make sure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home.
If smoke alarms are 10 years or older, replace them.
Practice your home fire escape drill with everyone in your household until they can get out in less than two minutes!

Home Fire Escape Plans

Use these guides to help begin your fire escape plan:

More Home Fire Safety information and resources

Download the FREE Emergency App

Find our Emergency App in the Apple Store » or Google Play »

Aplicación de Emergencias - ahora disponible en español » también!

New Jersey Region