Ready Together Drill on Sept. 19 helps families prepare

When: Tuesday, Sept. 15 | 6 to 7 p.m.
Where: Superior Civic Space (2250 Main St., Suite 1001)
What to expect: Before the drill, families are encouraged to gather for a short meeting to discuss expectations, decide who is responsible for key tasks, review their household emergency plan, and ensure everyone, including children, older adults, and pets, knows their role. As a special part of the drill, residents with pets are invited to help us test a new pet preparedness app.
Optional in-person meeting

When: Saturday, Sept. 19 | 10 a.m.
Where: Your home
What to expect: Boulder County will send a clearly marked test alert to all residents who have signed up to receive emergency alerts with Everbridge through BOCO Alert. Once received, participating households start a timer and put their emergency plan into action. Family members gather their essential items, load their grab-list necessities into their vehicle, and stop the timer once everyone and everything is safely loaded and they are ready to go. There is no driving during the drill.
Registration: Registration is required. Additionally, if you would like to participate and are not yet registered to receive emergency notifications, register through BOCO Alert.

When: Saturday, Sept. 19 | 1 p.m.
Where: Superior Civic Space (2250 Main St., Suite 1001)
What to expect: Afterward, families may join us for a free lunch and celebrate with a Ready Together post-event meeting. The goal of the drill is to build confidence, reduce stress, and ensure that every member of the household, including our furry family members, knows what to do when every minute counts.
Registration: This is an optional in-person meeting. Please register for the lunch to ensure enough food is ordered.

Here's how it works:

1. All residents who are signed up for emergency alerts will receive the clearly marked test alert from Boulder County at 10 a.m.

2. Start your timer.

3. Put your emergency plan into action by gathering your household's grab-list essentials, including what your pets need.

4. Load everyone and everything safely into your vehicle.

5. Stop the timer when you're ready to go.

6. Don't drive anywhere! The drill concludes once you're ready to go.

7. Registered participants will later gather at the Civic Space at 1 p.m. for the debrief and lunch.

This family-friendly preparedness event helps households practice what to do in a real emergency.

Participation builds confidence, reduces stress, and ensures that every member of the household, including our furry family members, knows what to do in an emergency, when every minute counts.

The Ready Together Community Alert Drill is being coordinated for your benefit, but it is not mandatory.

While participation is optional, we recommend signing up for BOCO Alert before the drill on Sept. 19. That way, you'll receive the test alert, offering an easy, low-stakes way to test the emergency alert system.