Natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods can occur anytime and can have devastating consequences if not prepared. The Greenwich Department of Health along with the Town of Greenwich Emergency Management Team urges all residents to take action and be ready.
This year’s National Preparedness Month theme is Preparing for Older Adults and focuses on preparing older adults to be ready for emergencies. Older adults, especially those who are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, or live in hard to reach areas, can face greater risks when it comes to extreme weather events and emergencies that occur more often. When preparing for disasters, one of the most helpful things to do is to create an emergency plan and talk about it with your family and caregivers.
Put together an emergency supply kit, sign up on the Town of Greenwich emergency alert system GreenwichAlerts at www.greenwichalerts.org to receive messages about hazards and emergencies.
In the event of a disaster or other type of emergencies the following simple steps could save your life:
- Make a plan: Create a plan with family members and share with friends and caregivers. It is important to have a list of emergency contacts, meeting places, and phone numbers so all members in the household know what to do. Practice your plan with family members if possible
- Put together an emergency supply kit. There are some basic items that everyone needs:
- One gallon of water per person daily for several days, for drinking and sanitation.
- Enough food for each family member lasting for at least three days. Gather food that
does not need to be refrigerated or cooked, such as peanut butter and ready-to-eat
canned meats, fruits, and vegetables. - Put together special supplies. These are items you and your family will need. Examples are: Infant formula, bottles, diapers, personal hygiene items; three day’s supply of medicines, cash, credit cards, important family documents such as insurance policies, bank account records, property and car papers, a copy of prescriptions, medical devices, non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, blankets, extra clothing, shoes and a first aid kit.
- Cleaning items like soap, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes.
- Pet food, water, pet carrier, and any special supplies your pet may need.
- Battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, and portable cell phone charger
- Be informed: Sign up for Greenwich Alerts and know the location of the nearest shelter. The Town of Greenwich encourages all residents to sign up for Alerts powered by EverBridge. This system will allow the Town to quickly issue messages to people about emergencies or potential safety hazards or concerns. People can choose to have messages sent via cell phones, home phones, emails, or text.
During the month of September 2023, the Department of Health has set up a table in the lobby of Town Hall with many important resource documents to prepare for emergency events.
To learn more about preparedness visit (www.ready.gov), the Town’s website (www.greenwichct.org), the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org), and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/GreenwichDOH. Most printed materials are also available
on Department’s website at https://www.greenwichct.gov/575/Health-Department.
- TO REPORT ONLY EMERGENCIES – For all Police, Fire and EMS emergencies, dial 911.
- GREENWICH EMERGENCY INFORMATION: (866) 245-4260 (This number is in service ONLY during major emergencies)
Emergency Helplines – Utilities:
Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678
Eversource 1-800-286-2000
CT Natural Gas Company (203) 869-6913
Local Non-Emergency Phone Numbers:
Town of Greenwich- www.greenwichct.org (203) 622-7700
Greenwich Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health (203)-987-1001 / 622-7838
Greenwich Fire Department (non-emergency) (203) 622-3950
Greenwich Police Department (non-emergency) (203) 622-8000
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Service
– American Medical Response (AMR) 1-800-379-7700
Department of Parks and Recreation Tree Division (203) 622-7824
Greenwich Chapter, American Red Cross (203) 869-8444
Greenwich Department of Human Services (203) 622-3800
Connecticut Poison Control 1-800-222-1222