Ready City

Make a Plan

An emergency plan is essential for everyone in your family. With a plan in place, everyone can get in contact and meet in a single location. This plan should be shared with all members of your family.

Your plan should include:

  • A single point of contact for all family members to call
  • An out-of-state contact (During an emergency, long-distance phone lines may be more available than local lines.)
  • Knowing other emergency plans (work, school, daycare, etc.)
  • A single and back-up meeting place.

Download and fill out a family emergency plan at ready.gov or use it as a guide to create your own.

Build a Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

After an emergency incident, it can take several days or weeks for emergency services and/or government assistance to reach you and your family, or you may need to evacuate your home quickly, depending on the severity of the disaster. Being prepared and having an emergency kit is vital to sustaining you and your family after a disaster. Use this guide to build your emergency supply kit over time by adding a few items each week or month. Your family may not need everything listed below; tailor your kit to your family’s needs including pets, small children and seniors. Additionally, regularly replace items that go bad such as water, food, medication and batteries. Store your kit in easy to carry containers such as plastic totes or duffel bags and make sure all family members know where the kit is located.

Food and Supplies

  • At least 3-day supply of non-perishable food and water (1 gallon per person per day)
  • Infant formula and bottles
  • At least 3-day supply of pet food and water (1/2 gallon per pet per day)
  • Can opener, mess kits, disposable cups, plates and utensils, paper towels

Medical Supplies

  • Prescription and non-prescription medications for at least one week and copies of prescriptions
  • Durable medical equipment, assistive technology and backup batteries
  • Glasses, contact lenses and supplies
  • First aid kit

Tools and Safety Items

  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Multipurpose tool
  • Non-sparking wrench to shut off utilities
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Waterproof matches
  • Whistle
  • Dust masks, to help filter contaminated air, and plastic sheeting/trash bags and duct tape for shelter-in-place
  • Extra cell phone battery or charger
  • Battery-powered or hand crank NOAA Weather Radio
  • Paper and pen/pencil
  • Emergency reference materials such as local maps, first aid book, etc.

Protective Gear and Clothing

  • Complete change of clothing, including long sleeve shirt and long pants
  • Sturdy shoes
  • Sleeping bag or blanket for each person
  • Extra clothing and bedding for winter
  • Rain/winter gear

Comfort and Priceless Items

  • Books, puzzles/activities and favorite stuffed animals/blankets/toys
  • Photo albums
  • Valuables and jewelry

Pet Items

  • ID tags and micro-chips
  • Description and current photos
  • Immunization and medical records
  • Copy of feeding and medication schedule
  • Medications
  • Serving bowls
  • Collar, leash and carrier/crate
  • Toys, treats and bedding
  • Litter, litter boxes and scoop

Stay Informed

It is important to be informed of various incidents that occur in the city and region. Hazards are categorized into natural, technological, and human-caused incidents. This website will provide you with a number of resources to stay informed and know what to do during an emergency.

AlertPA is the state emergency alerting system you can sign up for. Pennsylvania uses AlertPA to provide our citizens and partners with timely information to assist them in making informed decisions. AlertPA delivers emergency and weather alerts, health notifications, tax notifications, building alerts and updates to steer, guide and warn you on all your devices.

Ready.gov provides emergency alerts from the FEMA.

City of Pittsburgh All-Hazard Plan and Drills

In any emergency, being prepared is the single most important step. Below are a number of documents and links to help you and your family to be prepared for the next emergency.

Under Ordinance 29(PDF, 33KB), all buildings seven stories or higher must submit an All-Hazard Plan (AHP). An AHP is a written emergency protocol plan for high-rise building occupants to follow in emergency situations. This plan requires detailing building systems, emergency contacts, evacuation procedures including additional information for people with access and functional needs, and hazard-specific plans.

The new version of the AHP is in form-fillable electronic format(DOC, 166KB). This format allows building managers to submit the plan electronically with building floor plans to PittsburghEmergencyManagement@pittsburghpa.gov. The new or updated plans are due to OEMHS by January 31 annually.

Ordinance 29 also requires evacuation drills to be conducted on a semi-annual basis involving no less than 50% of the building occupants. Once every three years, the building evacuation exercise shall involve 100% of the building occupants. The purpose of the AHP Drill is to test the emergency plan and allow emergency services to understand the plan and the building better before an incident or hazard occurs. To schedule an AHP Drill, property management must submit their request to OEMHS at least 15 days in advance to determine availability and request city emergency resources to participate. OEMHS approval is required to ensure a safe drill and ordinance compliance. All requests may not be approved, depending on each emergency service bureau's availability and/or operational needs.

AHP Drill Request

Please contact the OEMHS for any questions after reading the Ordinance 29(PDF, 33KB).

Emergency Resources for Pet Owners

Pet owners also need to plan for the welfare of their pets during an emergency. A pet emergency kit(PDF, 173KB) should include:

  • Food
  • Water
  • Necessary medicine
  • The names and addresses of vets outside of your area.
  • Pet owners should also consider getting ID chips for their pets. The sad fact is that the vast majority of pets evacuated during an emergency are not reunited with their owners.

Emergency Resources for Parents

Senior Citizens

People with Access & Functional Needs and At-Risk Individuals

All incidents disproportionately affect individuals with access and functional needs (i.e. people with disabilities, senior citizens, children without housing, limited English proficiency, and transportation disadvantaged). At-risk individuals are people with access and functional needs (temporary or permanent) that may interfere with their ability to access or receive medical care before, during, or after a disaster or public health emergency.

Business Owners and Operators

Business owners and operators need to ensure that their organizations and facilities are prepared and ready to handle all hazards that may occur. Not only is preparedness essential for emergencies, but it also lays the groundwork for business continuity and related risk management strategies.

Local Organizations

Pittsburgh has a number of private sector associations that provide emergency management information and real-time alerts of emergencies which may impact your business.

Critical Infrastructure

As part of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, we are continually inventorying and assessing Critical Infrastructure in the City. Part of this program includes conducting free infrastructure assessments for the purpose of providing options for consideration to asset owners and operators regarding improvement of security and resiliency. The information obtained in the assessments is protected from disclosure under federal law. More information about these assessments can be found in the Infrastructure Assessment Highlights(PDF, 187KB) document.

If you are interested in an assessment, contact the City’s Critical Infrastructure Manager, Adam Ameel, at adam.ameel@pittsburghpa.gov.

Suspicious Packages

  • In the event your business receives a suspicious package, contact 911.
  • In the event your business receives a bomb or other type of threat, contact 911 immediately.
Back to top