Ready Oakland
Are you Ready, Oakland? Before the next disaster hits Oakland, make sure your household knows what to do. The key is to prepare, make a plan, and know how to stay informed. Whether you are a long time resident or a visitor passing through, look through our guides and sign up for AC Alert.
Get Involved & Get Ready
We all have a role to play in keeping Oakland safe. Explore our site to find resources, sign up for training, or learn how you can help your community prepare.
Let's build a strong Oakland - together.
Topic Areas
Monthly Safety Tip
September is National Preparedness Month. Are you Ready, Oakland?
This month, we want to encourage all Oaklanders to take some time to go over their emergency plans and supplies. If you haven’t done anything to prepare, it might seem like a big task! We’ve broken up these important tasks into 4 parts so that you can tackle one piece at a time each weekend this month!
Emergency Preparedness doesn’t have to be done all at once. Do what you can, when you can and build towards increased resilience to disasters.
Weekend 1: Know Your Risk
For the first weekend of September, just take a few minutes to learn about the hazards that might affect your neighborhood. Read through our hazard specific guides for information about what you can do to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a variety of disasters. Take a look at the Cal OES hazard mapper too! You can type in your address and see if you’re in a flood, tsunami, or wildfire zone.
Weekend 2: Make a Plan
Now that you learned about the hazards that could affect you, it’s time to make a plan! If you already have a plan, take this opportunity to review and revise your existing plan.
Make sure your plan includes the following topics:
Emergency Communications: designate an out-of-area emergency contact that everyone in the household can check in with. It can be easier for phone calls to go out of the area than try to connect within a congested disaster area. This person can relay messages to other household members as they call to check in. If phone lines get damaged, text messages can often still work.
Evacuation and Reunification: Know two unique ways to get out of your neighborhood in case your normal route becomes congested or is unpassable. Also identify two places to meet in case everyone is split up when disaster strikes. One location can be somewhere near your home but the second location should be farther away in case you cannot reenter your neighborhood. Make sure you practice taking these routes! You may find that you need to make adjustments during your test run.
Household Specific Needs: Remember to factor in the unique needs of your household. Are there any medical, access, functional, or language needs? Do you have children, dependents, or pets? Make sure your plan accounts for all of these factors.
Utilities: Find out where your circuit breaker (or fuse box) and gas shut offs are. Keep a non-sparking wrench near your gas shut off in case of emergency. Remember, if you shut off your gas, DO NOT turn it back on. Contact PG&E to have a professional inspect your gas line before it is turned back on.
In case of a gas or electric emergency inside your home, evacuate andcall 9-1-1 first, then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 once you are safely away.
Once you create your household emergency plan, make sure to review everything together so that each member understands what they should do during a disaster!
Come back every Friday this month to see the next tip!
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the City of Oakland prepare for disasters?
- The City of Oakland has several plans in place to prepare for a variety of major emergencies. Our Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) was last updated in 2023. Along with this are several Hazard Annexes that each detail specific information for specific hazards.
- The City maintains a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) which is currently being revised for 2026. You can view the draft LHMP and provide feedback at our upcoming town hall meeting and subsequent public comment period by visiting the Oakland Hazard Plan page.
How should I prepare in the event of an emergency?
Is there someone who can make a presentation to my group or organization?
How will I be advised of an emergency event affecting the city?
- The most important thing to do is to sign up for AC Alert. This opt-in service allows you to subscribe to alerts that can be targeted to a specific part of town. See our Stay Informed page for additional ways to get information in an emergency.
How will persons with disabilities evacuate?
- During a major disaster, first responders will be engaged in life-saving activity throughout the city. It may take time for them to reach you. It is important to have a network of individuals who can support you until help can arrive. Keep emergency supplies on hand so that you can sustain yourself in the event it takes a few days for help to arrive. Make arrangements with friends and neighbors to help you during an emergency.
How can I prepare my business or organization for a disaster?
- Make sure you have adequate emergency supplies for your staff.
- Conduct regular training including emergency plans for fire, earthquake, evacuation, and any other hazard that may affect your neighborhood.
- Create a Continuity of Operations Plan to ensure that your business can get up and running again after a major emergency.
Where can I find renters' and homeowners' insurance? Where can I find earthquake insurance?
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While we do not recommend any insurance companies or types of policies you should get, we want to remind everyone that many renters' and homeowners' insurance policies do not cover flood, earthquakes, or wildfires. Please speak with your insurance broker or an insurance professional for additional guidance.
I have a special skill or resource; how can I contribute during an emergency?
- Thank you for your willingness to assist during an emergency. There are several things that can happen and several things you can do.
- Join a local volunteer organization. During an emergency, the City of Oakland may partner with one or more volunteer organization.
- Join Oakland’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). To start, you can take the FREE CERT training provided by the Oakland Fire Department’s Emergency Management Services Division. After you complete your training, you will be connected with others in your neighborhood.
- Monitor the news during an emergency. If the situation warrants, the City or a local volunteer organization may issue a request for specialized services such as the need for commercial truck drivers, interpreters, or trade skills.
- Medically trained individuals can join the Alameda County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and register to be a California Disaster Healthcare Volunteer through the Alameda County MRC.
- In all situations, although we appreciate your willingness to help, please DO NOT self-deploy into an area impacted by a disaster unless instructed to do so.
I am a Disaster Service Worker (DSW); what should I know?
- Per California Government Code Section 3100-3109, public employees may be called upon as a disaster service worker in the event of an emergency. Assigned duties may differ from your regular day-to-day responsibilities and duties.
- City of Oakland employees should check-in with their supervisor during a disaster. For more information, City of Oakland employees should refer to AI 6804 or speak to their immediate supervisor.
Contact Us
Fire Safety Education and Engagement
Email PublicEdOFD@OaklandCA.gov for inquiries about community engagement and education related to fire safety including:
- Fire Safety for Seniors and People with Disabilities
- Fire Safety for Youth and Children including Fire Station Tours, School Visits, and Fire Prevention Day activities
- Fire Safety for High-Rise Buildings
- Smoke Alarm Installation Program
For Fire Safety Public Education, please visit the Public Education page for additional information and to download a form to include with your email.
Ready, Oakland and Disaster & Emergency Education
Email CORE@OaklandCA.gov for general inquiries about the CORE/Ready, Oakland program including:
- Community Outreach and Presentations related to Disasters and Emergencies (see above for other community outreach types)
- Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) Training
- Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training
- Other general Ready, Oakland program and CORE program inquiries
City Emergency Plans
Email EmergencyPlanning@OaklandCA.gov for general inquiries about the City of Oakland's emergency plans including:
- The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)
- Oakland's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
- Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) and Hazard Specific Annexes
Learn more about the Emergency Management Services Division