Preparedness Information

Always have Multiple Methods to receive emergency communications.

• NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio (NWR): NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Mobile Apps: FEMA, American Red Cross and the Weather Channel. Many local news media outlets offer apps and/or weather text alerts.
• DelcoAlerts: Delaware County offers you the opportunity to sign up to receive emergency notifications. This system enables us to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) – Emergency messages sent by authorized government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier.
• Emergency Alert System (EAS) – Is an alert that is sent to TV and radio stations. Used for severe weather alerts and can be utilized for other events.
• Outdoor Warning Sirens – Siren on a pole located in various spots throughout the county. Used for tornado warnings, sirens are designed to be heard outdoors.

Delco Alerts is an emergency alert system that allows you to opt in to receive notifications via phone calls, text messages, and/or emails based on the locations (addresses) you enter into the system.

Please note that there are some portions of Westerville, Columbus, and Dublin that are located in Delaware County but receive their Emergency Managment/9-1-1 service from those cities. Addresses in those portions of the county would not be able to sign up for Delco Alerts.

Delaware County’s Emergency Communications Department maintains Delco Alerts. Sign up for this service on their website.

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In coordination with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Alert System, NWR is an “All Hazards” radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information.

In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural, environmental, and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages).

The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system is an essential part of America’s emergency preparedness. Since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used over 56,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations. All through alerts on compatible cell phones and other mobile devices.

WEA is a public safety system that allows customers who own compatible mobile devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area.

WEA enables government officials to target emergency alerts to specific geographic areas.

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system commonly used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as weather and AMBER alerts, to affected communities over television and radio. EAS participants, such as radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers, deliver state and local alerts on a voluntary basis, but they are required to deliver Presidential alerts, which enable the President to address the public during a national emergency.

FEMA and the FCC work collaboratively to maintain the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), which are the two main components of the national public warning system. Authorized federal, state, and local authorities create the alerts that are transmitted through the system. FEMA is responsible for any national-level activation and tests of the EAS.

Delaware County tests the outdoor warning system on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:01 PM. If there is a threat of severe weather in the area, the test will be cancelled.

Outdoor warning sirens are designed to be heard by people outdoors and are a signal that they should seek shelter indoors immediately. They are NOT designed to be heard inside buildings.

When outdoor warning sirens are activated, you must take immediate action to minimize injuries and fatalities. Seek shelter: In a basement or the lowest level of a sturdy building. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level. Stay away from windows and put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. If you are in a mobile home, even if your home is tied down, they are not safe. Identify a shelter location before severe weather hits. Get information: Listen to local radio, TV, and/or NOAA All-Hazard Alert Radio for further instructions, additional information, or updates on when conditions are safe. Get your information from reliable sources.

During a tornado warning, the sirens operate on a cycle of 3 minutes on followed by 10 minutes off, for the duration of the warning.  Remember, the safest place to shelter is in the lowest level of a building, away from windows. No “all clear” is issued via sirens; make sure you have at least one method to receive emergency communications while you shelter.

The sirens are activated via the Delaware County 9-1-1 Center and/or Delaware County EMA for tornado warnings (not watches). All sirens will sound countywide for any tornado warning that intersects the Delaware County boundary. Activation occurs under the following conditions:

• A tornado warning is issued for any part of Delaware County by the National Weather Service
• A tornado or funnel cloud is sighted by current public safety personnel.

The four sirens are in the two state parks and are maintained by the Delaware County EMA. The others are owned and maintained by various local governments.

It is recommended that people rely on more than one source of information about severe weather.

Hydrate: Staying hydrated is very important, especially during hot weather. Drink water to counteract dehydration during hot and/or humid weather. Water works to lower your body temperature and replace the fluid you lose through sweating. 

Clothing: Wear loose fitting, light colored clothes. Cover as much of your skin as possible. Avoid wearing dark colored clothes as they retain the heat. Large brimmed straw hats are an excellent way to keep the sun off your head, neck and face.

In your home: If possible use air conditioning or fans to keep indoor temperatures comfortable. Weather strip your doors and windows. Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed to keep heat out.

No air conditioning or fans? Visit the local library, stores, movie theaters or community facilities to stay cool.

Dehydration: Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. Without enough, your body can’t function properly. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you may become dehydrated.

Heat Stroke: Heat stroke is a medical emergency. It is a condition caused when your body overheats, and is generally a result of prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Heatstroke can occur if your body temperature rises to 104 F (40 C) or higher. You should seek emergency treatment. Untreated heatstroke can quickly damage your brain, kidneys, heart, and muscles.

NEVER leave pets alone in hot vehicles.

Dehydration: Give your pets and livestock plenty of fresh, cool water. Make sure they have shelter from the sun and elements.

Overheating: Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which may include increased respiratory and heart rates, excessive panting, drooling, weakness, difficulty breathing, or even seizures.

Water safety: Never leave pets unsupervised near water. Life jackets or floatation devices should be worn when boating.

Loud noises: Loud noises, such as thunderstorms and fireworks, can scare pets. They can become lost, scared, and/or disoriented, so it’s best to keep your pets safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered, and escape-proof area of your home.

Lost Dogs and Dog License: Be sure to have an updated license on your dog so they can be returned to you. Visit www.delcodogs.com to look up found pets by tag numbers or to purchase a license.

Sidewalks and Asphalt: Keep the time your pets are on these hot surfaces to a minimum, as their sensitive paw pads can be burned.

Did you know: Animals with flat faces are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively.

Did you know: You should never shave your dog, as the layers of a dog’s coat protect them from overheating and sunburn.

Never use a generator in an attached garage, even with the door open.

Place generators so that exhaust fumes can’t enter the home through windows, doors, or other openings in the building.

Make sure to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for correct placement and mounting height.

Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling. Never refuel a generator while it is running.

Store fuel for the generator in a container that is intended for the purpose and is correctly labeled as such. Store the containers outside of living areas.

When plugging in appliances, make sure they are plugged directly into the generator or a heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cord. The cords should be checked for cuts, tears, and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin.

NO PLACE outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area!

If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you.

When you hear thunder, immediately move to a safe shelter. A safe shelter is a substantial building with electricity or plumbing, or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with windows up.

Stay in a safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.

Stay off corded phones, computers, and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity.

Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths, and faucets.

Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.

Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls.

When power goes out, contact your electric provider to make them aware of the outage.

If you use alternate power sources, such as generators, always follow the manufacturer’s directions. Never use them indoors or in an attached garage.

Use flashlights for lighting if possible. However, if you are using candles, never leave them unattended.

Keep burning candles away from furniture, bedding, carpets, drapes, etc. Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets.

Treat all intersections where the traffic light does not work as a 4-way stop.

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Most food requiring refrigeration can be kept safely in a closed refrigerator for several hours. Contact the Delaware Public Health District with food safety questions.

Turn off or disconnect appliances and other equipment in case of a momentary power “surge” that can damage computers and other devices. Consider adding surge protectors.

Did you know that it only takes six inches of swiftly moving water to knock an adult off his or her feet? Just two feet of moving water can float and carry away most vehicles, including sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks.

Turn Around…Don’t Drown

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to seek protection from a flood by leaving the flood-prone or warning area and finding shelter on higher ground.

Did you know that a standard home insurance policy does NOT cover flood damage? Standard home insurance policies exclude coverage for damage caused by flood.

Flood Insurance to protect your home and your home’s contents is available through the National Flood Insurance Program. Without a flood insurance policy, homeowners are left to cover their flood damage costs on their own. For more information about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit FEMA’s website. You can also consult your insurance professional for further assistance.

Nearly 20% of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas.

Flood – A condition that occurs when water overflows the natural or artificial confines of a stream or body of water, or accumulates by drainage over low-lying areas.

A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood-prone area, move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden, violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

Listen to your warning communications for weather updates and possible evacuation orders.

A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.

A Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws. Floods can be slow or fast-rising, but generally develop over a period of days. Flash floods usually result from intense storms dropping large amounts of rain within a brief period. Flash flooding can occur with little or no warning and can reach its peak in only a few minutes.

Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water.

Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural disaster in Ohio and the United States, and the most costly.

The average annual U.S. flood losses from 2002 to 2011 were more than $2.9 billion.

Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states.

Shovel snow properly – avoid lifting the snow and push it instead.

Wear shoes with good traction to avoid slipping on ice.

Keep an extra coat or blanket in your vehicle, along with a phone charger.

Get your car battery checked. Many auto stores offer free battery testing.

Slow down and drive safely. Leave earlier to allow for extra travel time.

Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia, and treat it immediately.

Keep an emergency supply of food and water at home in case of power outages or dangerous road conditions.

Preventing falls is not always easy when you are walking through an icy parking lot or snow-covered sidewalk during an Ohio winter. Here are a few tips to help get you through the winter as safely as possible:

• Wear proper footwear when walking on snow or ice. Boots or shoes with good tread can help you maintain traction on the ice. Many stores now carry slip-on cleats to go over your shoes or boots that are a great help.
• Take smaller steps to help you maintain your balance when walking.
• Wear bright colored clothing to be seen by passing vehicles, as snowy conditions can make visibility difficult.
• Cross at marked crosswalks and not in the middle of a roadway.
• Don’t carry items that will make you lose your balance while walking.
• Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t look down at your phone. Distracted walking is a real thing! If you don’t pay attention to where you are going, you could get injured.

The wind chill temperature is the temperature that it feels like outside to people and animals. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body, driving down the internal body temperature. Therefore, the wind makes it FEEL much colder.

Frostbite and Hypothermia

The best way to avoid hypothermia and frostbite is to stay warm and dry indoors and outdoors. When you must go outside, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers will insulate you. Remove layers to avoid sweating and chill.

You have frostbite when your body tissue freezes. The most susceptible parts of the body are fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. Symptoms include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Get medical attention immediately for frostbite. The area should be SLOWLY rewarmed using warm, not hot water.

Hypothermia occurs when body temperature falls below 95°F. Determine your temperature with a thermometer. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion.

Snow squalls are associated with a strong cold front, and they are a little-known weather hazard. They are fast movers and usually last less than an hour. Sudden white-out conditions combined with falling temperatures can produce icy roads in a matter of minutes. Squalls can occur where there is no large-scale winter storm in progress and may only produce minor accumulations. Snow squalls can cause localized extreme impacts to the traveling public and to commerce for brief periods of time.

The difference in snow squalls and snowstorms is the duration of the event. A snow squall is short-lived (usually 30-60 minutes) and extremely intense. A snowstorm can last for hours or even days.

When snow squall warnings are issued, they are focused on distinct areas (like tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings). These warnings provide critical, highly localized life-saving information. If a snow squall warning is issued for your area, avoid or delay motor travel until the squall passes through your location, as visibility is expected to be very low.

WINTERIZING YOUR HOME

• Have your furnace inspected by a professional, reputable heating and cooling specialist annually.
• Carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm: Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations. Contact your local fire department for more information on fire safety.
• Weather-strip doors and windows, and install storm windows or cover windows with plastic. There are many good brands of shrink wrap that are easy to apply and can be purchased at local hardware or retail stores.
• Clean out gutters.
• Repair any roof leaks or loose gutters
• Have chimneys/fireplaces inspected annually.
• Keep contact information handy for your utility providers.

WINTERIZING YOUR VEHICLE

• Prepare your vehicle for winter by ensuring it is in good running order. Check wipers, batteries, brakes, filters, anti-freeze, and oil levels.
• Check turn signals, headlamp,s and hazard lights.
• Make sure your tires are in good shape, and there will be less slipping and sliding.

Snow/Ice Emergency Levels: As defined by the Ohio Revised Code
When Levels are issued and lifted, it will be immediately communicated

Snow Emergency Levels
Level 1: Highways and roadways are snow/ice-covered.

Level 2: Roadways have ice and blowing/drifting snow. Drive cautiously. Unnecessary travel is discouraged.

Level 3: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. Employees should contact their employers to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roadways may be subject to arrest.

Sign up to receive test messages about snow emergency levels by simply texting DELCOSNOW to 888777.

Get information

Listen to local radio, TV, and/or NOAA All-Hazard Alert Radio for further instructions, additional information, or updates on when conditions are safe. Get information from reliable sources such as emergency management, fire, law enforcement, and local media stations.

Take some time before a storm to make a safety plan for your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Planning ahead will lower the chance of injury or death in the event that severe weather strikes.

Sheltering in a house

In a basement or the lowest level of a sturdy building. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level. Stay away from windows and put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.

Sheltering in a mobile home

Even if your home is tied down, it is not safe. Identify a shelter location before severe weather hits.

Sheltering in a car or truck

Vehicles are extremely risky in a tornado. There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less dangerous ones. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Keep your safety belt fastened.

Sheltering in an office building, hospital, or nursing home

Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building — away from glass and on the lowest floor possible.

Sheltering in the open outdoors

If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face down on low ground, like a ditch, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from trees that may fall in high winds.

Sheltering in a church or theater

Do not panic. Move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.

Sheltering in a shopping mall or large store

Do not panic. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room, or other small enclosed area on the lowest level, away from windows.

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground and is often, but not always, visible as a funnel cloud. Lightning and hail are common in thunderstorms that produce tornadoes. Tornadoes can cause extensive damage to structures and disrupt transportation, power, water, gas, communications, and other services in their direct path and in neighboring areas. Related thunderstorms can cause heavy rains, flash flooding, and hail.

The most recent tornadoes in Delaware County were in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2024. They can happen any time of year. The 2014 tornado occurred in February.

Many people mistakenly think that a highway overpass provides safety from a tornado. The reality is: an overpass may be one of the worst places to seek shelter from a tornado. An overpass or tornado shelter can put people at a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured by flying debris from the powerful tornado winds.

Wind speeds in tornadoes can exceed 200 mph. These destructive winds produce airborne debris that is blown into and channeled under the overpass, where people might try to seek shelter.

Debris of varying sizes and types, including dirt, sand, and rocks, moving at incredible speeds can easily penetrate clothing and skin, causing serious injuries and possibly death. Very fine debris can also be forced into the eyes, causing injury or loss of sight. A person can even be blown out or carried away from the overpass by the fierce tornado winds. If a person is positioned at the top of an overpass, they could encounter even higher wind speeds and more missile-like debris. Wind direction can also shift abruptly as the tornado passes, tossing debris from all sides.

If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter, or sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter, immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter.

If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have the following options as a last resort:

• Either stay in your car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket if possible.
• Or, if you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.

Your specific circumstances should drive your choice. Be aware of weather conditions.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch – means that the potential exists for the development of thunderstorms which may produce large hail or damaging winds. When a watch is issued, you should go about your normal activities, but keep an eye on the sky and an ear to the National Weather Service’s weather radio or local radio and television stations for further updates, notifications, and possible warnings.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning – on the other hand, means that a severe thunderstorm is occurring or is imminent based on Doppler radar information. You should move indoors to a place of safety. Schools should think about delaying the departure of buses, and should take quick action to delay outdoor sports activities, etc.

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Tornado Watch – like a severe thunderstorm watch, means that conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to form, but it also means that a few storms may be capable of producing a tornado.

Tornado Warning – is the ultimate in severe warnings; it means that a tornado is either occurring or imminent based on radar. You should take cover immediately.

Cybersecurity involves preventing, detecting, and responding to cyberattacks that can have wide-ranging effects on individuals, organizations, the community, and at the national level.

Cyberattacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system. Cyberattacks can lead to loss of money, theft of personal, financial, and medical information that can damage your reputation and safety.

Cyberattacks can occur in many ways, including:

• Accessing your personal computers, mobile phones, gaming systems, and other internet and Bluetooth-connected devices.
• Damaging your financial security, including identity theft.
• Blocking your access or deleting your personal information and accounts.
• Targeting children and adults.

• Secure your Wi-Fi network. Your home’s wireless router is the primary entrance for cybercriminals to access all of your connected devices. Secure your Wi-Fi network and your digital devices by changing the factory-set default password and username.
• Double your login protection. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person who has access to your account is you. Use it for email, banking, social media, and any other service that requires logging in. If MFA is an option, enable it by using a trusted mobile device such as your smartphone, an authenticator app, or a secure token—a small physical device that can hook onto your key ring.
• If you connect, you must protect. Whether it’s your computer, smartphone, game device, or other network devices, the best defense is to stay on top of things by updating to the latest security software, web browser, and operating systems. If you have the option to enable automatic updates to defend against the latest risks, turn it on. And, if you’re putting something into your device, such as a USB for an external hard drive, make sure your device’s security software scans for viruses and malware. Finally, protect your devices with antivirus software and be sure to periodically back up any data that cannot be recreated, such as photos or personal documents.
• Keep tabs on your apps. Most connected appliances, toys, and devices are supported by a mobile application. Your mobile device could be filled with suspicious apps running in the background or using default permissions you never realized you approved—gathering your personal information without your knowledge while also putting your identity and privacy at risk.
  • Check your app permissions and use the “rule of least privilege” to delete what you don’t need or no longer use. Learn to
    just say “no” to privilege requests that don’t make sense. Only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.
• Never click and tell. Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee. What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans. Disable location services that allow anyone to see where you are— and where you aren’t —at any given time. 

Link to more information: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/programs/cisa-cybersecurity-awareness-program

If you believe you have been a victim of a cyberattack, let the proper federal, state and local authorities know.

• File a report with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) if you think someone is illegally using your Social Security number.
• File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). They will review the complaint and refer it to the appropriate agency.
• File a report with the local police so there is an official record of the incident.
• Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you receive messages from anyone claiming to be a government agent.
• Contact additional agencies depending on what information was stolen.