Get Ready

Before an Emergency Happens

Preparedness starts before wildfire, flooding, severe weather, or evacuation notices occur. Our Get Ready guide helps Ruidoso residents, visitors, businesses, and property owners prepare ahead of time with trusted emergency information and practical planning resources.

Get Ready

Start Building Your Emergency Plan Today.

Emergencies can develop quickly in Ruidoso and Lincoln County. Taking a few simple steps now can help you receive official alerts, understand evacuation instructions, leave quickly if needed, and keep your household connected.

Review the 6 Readiness Steps
Prepare Before You Need To

Six ways to get ready before an emergency.

Use this page as your preparedness starting point. Each step connects to a dedicated guide with clear actions, checklists, and official resources.

1
Most important first step

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

Get official notifications about wildfires, flooding, evacuation orders, road closures, severe weather, and other emergencies.

Sign Up for Alerts
2
Know where you are

Know Your Evacuation Zone

Find your evacuation zone before an emergency so you can quickly understand whether an order or warning applies to you.

Find Your Zone
3
Be ready to leave

Build Your Go Bag

Pack essential supplies, documents, medications, pet items, and basic needs so your household can leave quickly if evacuation is ordered.

Build a Go Bag
4
Plan for animals too

Prepare for Your Pets

Pack pet supplies, keep records ready, plan transportation, and know where your animals can go if evacuation is ordered.

Prepare Your Pets
5
Plan ahead for additional needs

Residents Who Need Extra Help

Prepare early if someone in your household has medical, mobility, transportation, communication, caregiving, or accessibility needs.

Learn More
6
Protect your household

Make a Plan

Create a family emergency plan with meeting places, communication steps, transportation options, pet plans, and accessibility needs.

Make Your Plan
Readiness Checklist

Are you ready?

Use this quick checklist to see what your household has completed and what still needs attention.

Alerts

Signed up for official emergency alerts.

Zone

Looked up and saved your evacuation zone.

Go Bag

Packed supplies for each household member.

Pets

Packed supplies and made an evacuation plan for pets or animals.

Extra Help

Planned for medical, mobility, transportation, or accessibility needs.

Plan

Created and shared your household emergency plan.

Why It Matters

Preparation saves time when minutes matter.

Wildfire, flooding, severe weather, and road closures can affect how quickly people receive information and how safely they can leave an area.

Before an emergency, make sure you can:

  • Receive official alerts on your phone.
  • Identify your evacuation zone immediately.
  • Leave quickly with essential supplies.
  • Plan for pets, medical needs, mobility needs, and transportation needs.
  • Reconnect with your household if separated.
  • Follow official instructions without delay.
During an Emergency

Go to official sources for active emergency information.

This Get Ready section is designed to help you prepare before an emergency. During an active incident, rely on official emergency updates, evacuation notices, public safety alerts, and trusted local information channels.

Emergency Information Official Alerts Evacuation Information

Take the next step before an emergency happens.

Sign up for alerts, learn your zone, pack supplies, plan for pets and extra help needs, and make sure your household knows what to do.

Review the 6 Steps