For an immediate threat to life or property, call 911. This site is not an emergency dispatch service.
WNYIMSWestern New York Incident Monitoring SystemPractical checklists for the hazards Western New York actually faces. Each guide links to authoritative government guidance. These pages are cached for offline reading after your first visit.
Warnings can arrive minutes before impact. Know your safe room before storms develop and have two ways to receive warnings.
Most flood deaths happen in vehicles. Six inches of moving water can knock an adult down.
Lake-effect bands can drop visibility to zero in minutes across Western New York.
Heat is a leading weather killer and affects rural residents without air conditioning most.
Damaging gusts topple trees and cut power across our service area several times a year.
Smoke from distant fires can push local air quality into unhealthy ranges for days.
Rural outages can last several days after ice or wind events.
Carbon monoxide from generators kills every winter. Placement matters more than anything else.
Build a kit that supports your household for 72 hours without outside help.
Cell networks fail or congest. Decide in advance how you will reconnect.
Rural preparedness has to include animals, water, and feed.
Small businesses and farms need continuity plans as much as households.
Leave early when officials advise it — roads deteriorate fast.