Home Disaster Prep
Table of Contents
Home Disaster Prep
Emergency Planning Beyond Fires
Why it matters
Disasters don’t schedule themselves. A basic household plan reduces panic, delays, and confusion when normal systems fail.
What to know
Identify the hazards most likely in your area, like tornadoes, floods, severe storms, and extended power outages.
Make a written family emergency plan. Choose a meeting place away from home, an out-of-area contact, and decide how you’ll communicate if you are separated. Build a short-term kit with water, food, medications, flashlights, and chargers. Make sure your household has a reliable way to receive official alerts.
Do this now
A simple, written emergency plan helps you act quickly. Identify meeting places and choose an out-of-town contact. Make sure your plan includes the specific needs of pets, older adults, and people with disabilities. Ensure your household can receive official alerts through your mobile phone and a weather radio.
- Create a communication plan
Fill out a household communication plan with emergency contacts - Build a kit
Build or refresh a basic short-term emergency kit - Check your alerts
Review how your family will receive official weather and emergency alerts
Don’t
Don’t wait to make your plan or build a kit until a severe storm is already in the forecast.
Severe Weather Safety
Why it Matters
Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, winter storms, and flooding can create fast-moving, life-threatening situations with little warning.
What to know
Use multiple warning sources, such as phone alerts, local media, and NOAA Weather Radio. For tornadoes, go to a basement, storm shelter, or a small interior room on the lowest level. During thunderstorms, go indoors when you hear thunder.
Never walk or drive through floodwaters.
Do this now:
- Set up multiple alerts
Set up at least 2–3 alert methods (phone alerts, weather radio, local apps) - Pick a safe place
Choose your tornado safe place and practice getting there fast - Make a flood rule
Make it a strict rule to never drive into floodwater and always respect barricades
Don’t
Don’t depend on sirens indoors. Don’t rely on outdoor sirens as your only warning method; they are designed for people outdoors.
Wildland Brush Fires
Grilling & Local Burn Guidance
Why it Matters
Outdoor fires can spread to structures quickly in dry, windy conditions.
What to know
For general outdoor fire safety, keep the first five feet around your home clear of flammable materials and debris. Use grills at least 15 feet, and firepits at least 25 feet, away from anything that can burn. Ensure grills and firepits are completely cool before moving them closer to your home or storing them. Keep kids and pets 3 feet away.
Additionally, local laws govern what, when, and where you can burn yard waste. Know your local rules:
- O’Fallon City Limits
All outdoor burning of yard waste (leaves, limbs, tree trunks, grass cuttings, and shrubbery) is strictly banned at all times. - Shiloh Limits
You may only burn yard waste that was generated on your own property. Burning is only allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. during two specific seasons: March 15 to June 1, and October 15 to December 15. You cannot burn on public or utility easements, and your fire cannot create excessive smoke. - Outside City Limits (O’Fallon/Shiloh/Caseyville Fire District): You may openly burn agricultural and landscape waste generated on your own property.
Do This Now
- Check your location’s rules
Confirm whether your exact address is in O’Fallon, Shiloh, or outside the city limits, and strictly follow your area’s burning schedule and legal boundaries. - Follow spacing rules
Keep firepits 25 feet away, and grills at least 15 feet from structures - Clear the 5-foot zone
Remove flammables from the first 5 feet around your home, including gutters and under decks.
Don’t
- Don’t burn trash or construction debris
No matter where you live, it is illegal to burn construction or demolition debris (like insulation, siding, plumbing, paint, and wiring), commercial waste, pallets, dead animals, household garbage, tires, or asbestos - Don’t leave fires unattended.
Never leave a fire pit, or lit grill unattended, even “for a minute”