Keep Residents Safe During Hurricane Season: Practical Checklist and Emergency Alert Templates

Pre-storm warnings are critical to the safety and security of your team and community. The following are SMS and email template messages that you can customize and input into your emergency alerting system proactively, before a hurricane makes landfall:

SMS

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: A hurricane has been forecasted to impact [CITY, STATE] on [FORECASTED DATES OF STORM]. Stay alert to emergency messages regarding evacuations, closures, and relevant instructions.

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: HURRICANE WARNING for [LOCATION] on [DATE] [TIME]. Remain indoors or seek shelter immediately! Press 1 to confirm receipt.

EMAIL

Subject: Hurricane approaching!

This is a message from [AGENCY NAME]. A hurricane has been forecasted to impact [LOCATION DETAILS] on [FORECASTED DATES OF STORMS] in the path of Hurricane [STORM NAME]. Stay alert to emergency messages regarding evacuations, closures, and relevant instructions.

The goal at this point is not to incite panic, but to provide outreach and important information for residents in potentially affected areas.  

Emergency alerts during a hurricane should focus on safety and preservation of life: where to shelter, whether to evacuate, and how to avoid storm surge, flash flooding or impassable roads. They should give clear, location-specific, time-sensitive instructions.

Message templates that can be useful during a hurricane include the following:

SMS

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: For the latest updates on the impact of Hurricane [STORM NAME], visit [LINK TO WEBSITE] and stay tuned to news outlets.

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: [NAME OF LOCATION] will remain closed until [DATE, TIME] due to the damage caused by [NAME OF HURRICANE]. Please follow local weather safety alerts.

EMAIL

Subject: Hurricane [STORM NAME]!

This is a message from [AGENCY NAME]. Due to Hurricane [STORM NAME], residents in your neighborhood are being asked to shelter-in-place and take self-protective actions. Please implement shelter-in-place actions immediately. For information, ongoing updates, or help with post-incident and recovery issues, please tune to local radio and television stations, log on to [WEBSITE], or text/call [PHONE NUMBER]. 

The real challenge often begins in the recovery process. Your main goal is to help residents resume normal operations as quickly and safely as possible. Implement message templates such as the following to use after the storm passes:

Lifting of Restrictions:

SMS

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: The previous emergency Shelter In Place order for your neighborhood has been lifted. Stay safe.

EMAIL

[AGENCY NAME] Update: The previous emergency Shelter In Place order for your neighborhood has been lifted. Emergency crews have contained the [EVENT] in the area. Conditions are now safe, and you may leave your homes and businesses and resume normal activities. This message is being sent on [DATE] at [TIME]. If you truly have an emergency situation, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Notification of Cleanup/Repair/Response:

SMS

[AGENCY NAME] Alert: We are mobilizing a cleaning crew for [EVENT] on [DATE]. We’ll see everyone on clean-up day. Stay safe.

EMAIL

Subject: Cleanup/Repair/Response/Maintenance Crew Notification

[AGENCY NAME] Update: We are mobilizing a cleaning crew for [EVENT] on [DATE]. We expect to reach everyone on clean-up day. If you’re in need of assistance after [EVENT], please call [CONTACT] for repairs and other assistance.