Emergency Notification & Preparedness

Be notified and be prepared!

Emergency preparedness and notification are crucially important for the safety of our residents and guests. The Town of Mountain Village relies on two different notification systems in case of incidents, water, cable or power outages and emergencies.

We also encourage our residents to prepare an evacuation plan in case of wildfires or other situations.

Preparing an evacuation plan can prevent injury, property damage and confusion during an emergency. Evacuation plans can be kept in writing and always available for the home’s occupants to review. Updating the plan every six months at the dinner table will keep everyone informed about where to go when the time comes. They can also be verbal, depending on your family makeup (young children).

Get Notified

We recommend that you sign up for the following services as they may cover different but overlapping issues.

Mountain Village notifications

The Town of Mountain Village uses ReadyOp communications to notify the community about outages, gondola closures, public safety matters and more via text message or email. When you sign up through the link below, be sure to read the instructions carefully to select which categories you would like notifications for.

San Miguel County Alert and Warning

In late 2022 San Miguel County public safety officials switched their notification system from CodeRED to GEM. Anyone who was signed up for CodeRED will need to reregister for the new system. During an emergency, it is imperative for public safety officials to be able reach those in the community who are most at risk. You can sign up and receive emergency notifications by recorded message, text message or email. The SMC Alert and Warning System (powered by GEM) is used for general alerts regarding emergency evacuations, road closures, road conditions or severe weather, and is primarily for commuters, visitors, businesses and residents. A text message will be sent to your mobile device and/or email outlining the nature of the emergency.

Be Informed & Prepared

In addition to signing up for the SMC Alert and Warning System be sure to know what reasons evacuations might take place in the surrounding area, and begin to prepare for these. Start with a list of reasons your family might have to evacuate. Determining what could require evacuation is evident in many cases: fire, avalanche, mudslides, severe winter storm, earthquakes and floods for example.

Plan Evacuations Routes

Planning evacuations from a home or building require a clear path and an understanding of the exits throughout the structure. Place signs to mark all exits and pathways and create a map using a building floor plan to identify safe ways from the structure. Post the maps for quick review and reference.

Gather Equipment

The need to evacuate can happen in a matter of minutes. Stop now and decide what will be needed: area maps, personal records, phone numbers and precious photos. Spend time gathering these items together in a central location so they can be reached quickly. The Department of Homeland Security recommends writing down a list of high-priority items that would be important to leave with if you only have 10 minutes to evacuate. Make plans for your pets and livestock; include a leash and other supplies for your pet in your emergency preparedness kit. Please review our Evacuation Guide and Emergency Supply Checklist for further information.

Choose Where to Meet

Even with careful planning, separation from loved ones is a possibility. Choose a meeting place away from the area, depending upon each possible scenario. For instance, a chemical leak may send everyone south, but a bad storm could send evacuations west. Select a spot away from the problem area for each type of emergency.

Communication

Make plans to stay in touch with friends and family. Label your primary emergency contact number (e.g. spouse, parents) as ICE in your cell phone. ICE stands for “in case of emergency.” This way, emergency responders can find the number quickly if necessary. Choose a friend or relative who resides out of state and make sure family members know that person’s phone number. You can call that number to let friends and family members know where you are. For more information and preparedness checklists for your family or business, visit Ready.gov.

Personal Preparedness

San Miguel County encourages all of its residents and visitors to make personal preparedness a priority. Historically, rural and mountain culture prizes self-sufficiency as a core value, and when it comes to preparedness we encourage it. Work to assemble a preparedness kit for your home and vehicle. Include things like stable shelf food, water, flashlights, batteries and alternative power sources such as phone charging banks. You may also find it valuable to keep warm clothing, waterproof layers and an extra pair of comfortable shoes in your vehicle kit as well.

San Miguel County also encourages you to visit Ready.gov for more valuable emergency and disaster information and resources such as Personal Preparedness Kits, Pet Preparedness and Business Preparedness.