Fort Worth Home Emergency Plan - City Checklist

Public Safety Texas 3 Minutes Read ยท published February 06, 2026 Flag of Texas

Fort Worth, Texas homeowners should have a clear, written home emergency plan that reflects local risks and city resources. This checklist explains how to create a plan that helps families evacuate, shelter in place, communicate during outages, and recover after incidents. It emphasizes coordination with the City of Fort Worth emergency functions and practical steps you can complete this week.

Start by listing household members, medications and meeting points.

Planning checklist

Use the checklist below to build a written, rehearsed plan for your household. Tailor actions to local hazards such as severe storms, flooding, tornadoes and utility outages.

  • Create an emergency contact list with at least two out-of-area contacts and local emergency numbers.
  • Set meeting places: one near your home and one outside your neighborhood in case of evacuation.
  • Assemble an emergency kit: water (one gallon per person per day), nonperishable food, flashlight, batteries, first-aid supplies and copies of vital documents.
  • Plan for pets and people with access or functional needs; identify transportation and medication continuity.
  • Practice drills: run two evacuation drills and one shelter-in-place drill per year.
Keep printed and digital copies of your plan and store them separately.

Emergency communications

Decide how your household will communicate during an emergency: designate primary and backup contacts, choose apps or SMS for group messages, and keep a battery-powered radio. Label important numbers and program ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts into mobile phones.

Penalties & Enforcement

The City of Fort Worth emphasizes preparedness and coordination but does not publish fines tied to individual household emergency plans on its preparedness pages; fines or enforcement measures for emergency-related violations are not specified on the cited pages.Official local guidance[1] and the municipal code repository provide the controlling instruments for declared emergency orders and related enforcement actions.City code[2]

Local emergency orders may impose compliance requirements during declared emergencies.
  • Common violations: failing to obey evacuation orders or blocking emergency access; specific penalties are not specified on the cited page.
  • Disobeying city emergency orders during declared incidents may lead to enforcement actions; monetary amounts and escalation are not specified on the cited pages.
  • Enforcer: City of Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management and Fort Worth Fire Department handle operational orders and incident response; use official contact pages to report noncompliance.Contact OEM[1]

Applications & Forms

The City does not publish a specific "home emergency plan" application or permit; preparedness guidance and templates are provided by the Office of Emergency Management. If specific permits or exemptions are needed during a declared incident, consult the municipal code or the enforcing department for published forms and procedures.See city code[2]

How-To

  1. Identify household members, special needs, medications and essential documents to include in the plan.
  2. Choose primary and secondary meeting locations and plan evacuation routes from your home and neighborhood.
  3. Build an emergency kit with water, food, flashlight, radio, batteries, first-aid, and copies of IDs and insurance.
  4. Assign roles: who will gather pets, who will shut off utilities if instructed, and who notifies out-of-area contacts.
  5. Practice the plan with your household and update contacts, medicines and kit items every six months.
  6. Register for local alerts and notifications through City of Fort Worth channels and follow official instructions during incidents.[1]

FAQ

How often should I update my home emergency plan?
Review and update your plan and emergency kit at least every six months or after major life changes.
Where can I get official local emergency information?
Use City of Fort Worth official channels and the Office of Emergency Management for current guidance and alerts.[1]
Are there fines for not having a home emergency plan?
The city does not require individual households to file a plan; specific fines related to emergency orders are not specified on the cited pages and depend on the nature of any violation during a declared emergency.[2]

Key Takeaways

  • Write and rehearse a simple plan that lists contacts, meeting points and roles.
  • Assemble a kit with at least 72 hours of basic supplies and important documents.
  • Register for local alerts and follow official City of Fort Worth guidance during emergencies.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] City of Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management - preparedness resources and contacts
  2. [2] City of Fort Worth Code of Ordinances - municipal code repository

Categories

General Governance and Administration Public Safety Public Health and Welfare Land Use and Zoning Housing and Building Standards Transportation Environmental Protection Parks and Public Spaces Business and Consumer Protection Taxation and Finance Labor and Employment Education Civil Rights and Equity Elections and Campaign Finance Events and Special Uses Signs and Advertising Utilities and Infrastructure Technology and Data