Emergency Preparedness

Three things to do today

Build a "go" kit

Keep enough on hand to get through at least three days at home without power, water, or a store run. Store it where you can grab it fast.

• One gallon of water per person per day (three-day supply)
• Three days of non-perishable food, and a manual can opener
• Flashlights and extra batteries (not candles)
• A battery or hand-crank radio for weather updates
• First-aid kit and a week of any prescription medications
• Phone chargers and a charged power bank
• Warm layers, blankets, and sturdy shoes
• Cash in small bills (ATMs and cards fail in outages)
• Copies of IDs, insurance, and medical info in a zip bag
• Supplies for infants, seniors, and pets

Make a household plan

• Pick two meeting spots: one just outside your home, and one outside the neighborhood if you can't get back.
• Choose an out-of-area contact everyone can text if local lines are jammed. Texts often get through when calls don't.
• Plan for everyone: medications and medical devices, mobility needs, young children, and pets (many shelters won't take animals, so know a pet-friendly option).
• Keep at least half a tank of gas in the winter, and know more than one way out of the hamlet.

How emergency response works here

Knowing what happens after you dial 911 makes an emergency less confusing — and explains a few neighborhood mysteries, like the Saturday siren.

• When you call 911, your call is answered by the Rensselaer County Emergency Communications Center (RCECC) — the county's dispatch center — which tones out the Speigletown Fire Company (Station 35) and, for medical calls, the Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad. Stay on the line and answer the dispatcher's questions; help is already being sent while you talk.
• If you see several departments arrive, that's by design. The county pre-plans "box alarms" — standard assignments that automatically send neighboring departments (mutual aid) to certain calls, so a working fire gets enough trucks and crews from the first minute instead of waiting for a second request.
• That Saturday siren is a test. The county tests station sirens and alerting pagers every Saturday at 12 noon, and runs weekly pager tests in the evening on a rotating station schedule. A short siren at noon on Saturday is routine — no emergency.
• Non-emergencies and controlled burns: call county dispatch at 518-270-5252 — and always report a controlled burn before you light it, so a passerby's 911 call doesn't send the trucks.

The procedures above are set by the county's Communications Field Operations Guide, written for fire and EMS responders. For reference and resilience we host a backup copy of the February 2023 revision — the Rensselaer County Bureau of Public Safety is the authoritative source for the current version.

Power outages

Report the outage so crews know you're out, then stay safe until power is back. The Public Safety page shows a live outage panel when National Grid reports one nearby.

• Report it: National Grid at 1-800-867-5222, or the outage map.
• Food safety: a closed fridge stays cold about 4 hours; a full freezer about 48. "When in doubt, throw it out."
• Generators outside only, well away from windows and doors. Their exhaust is carbon monoxide, which is invisible and deadly. Have working CO alarms.
• Medical devices: if you rely on powered equipment, ask National Grid about their medical/life-support registry and have a backup plan.
• Unplug sensitive electronics to protect them from surges when power returns.
• Treat every downed power line as live and deadly. Stay far back and call 911.

Winter storms & extreme cold

• Heat safely. Space heaters need three feet of clearance and should never run unattended or overnight. Never heat a home with a stove or oven.
• Prevent frozen pipes: let a faucet drip in a deep freeze, open cabinet doors under sinks, and know where your main water shutoff is.
• Keep a car kit: blanket, shovel, ice scraper, sand or cat litter for traction, flashlight, and snacks.
• Check on neighbors, especially older adults and anyone living alone, during long cold snaps and outages.

Flooding

Our area has creeks and culverts and sits near the Hudson, so heavy rain and snowmelt can flood low roads quickly.

• Turn Around, Don't Drown. Never drive or walk through floodwater. Six inches can knock you down; a foot can float a car. You can't tell how deep it is or whether the road beneath is gone.
• Move to higher ground right away if water is rising, and don't return until officials say it's safe.
• Know your risk: check whether your property is in a flood zone on FEMA's flood map. Standard homeowner's insurance does not cover flooding.
• Keep gutters and nearby culverts clear, and report a blocked or washed-out culvert to the Town Highway Department.

Extreme heat

• Drink water often, and don't wait until you're thirsty.
• Stay in the coolest space you can, and limit midday exertion outdoors.
• Never leave children or pets in a parked car, even briefly.
• Check on older neighbors and anyone without air conditioning.

After the storm

• Stay clear of downed lines and standing water, which can hide live wires or debris.
• Check on neighbors before you clean up, and photograph any damage for insurance before removing it.
• Only boil or avoid tap water if the water provider or county health department tells you to.