Georgetown MA Emergency Management

02/22/2026

A winter storm warning is in effect for Georgetown from 4pm Sunday to 7am Tuesday.

A significant winter storm will impact our area with snow overspreading the area Sunday evening and continuing into Tuesday morning.

While Georgetown is under the winter storm warning, a Blizzard warning has been posted just east of us and may impact us as well.

If you have not yet made preparations, do so now. This includes ensuring you have enough fuel for appliances and that all battery powered devices are fully charged.

Heavy snow is expected with snow accumulations between 10 - 20 inches. Travel will be difficult, if not impossible. Please stay off the roads so that snow clearing crews can do their jobs.

02/21/2026

Chances of a significant winter storm are increasing this evening, which potentially has the chance to bring blizzard conditions to the area on Sunday and into Monday. While meteorologists are still trying to hammer out how big this storm may be, with approximately 48 hours until that storm is expected to hit, now is the time to begin preparing.

While it's fairly rare for Georgetown to lose power for any significant length of time, the potential for blizzard conditions can affect this. If you have a backup generator, ensure you have enough fuel for it, and if you must run it, make sure it is a safe distance away from the home and is never used in a garage, even if the garage doors are open to prevent Carbon Monoxide from entering the living areas of the home.

Ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly, and all exterior heating vents are not blocked by snow or ice.

01/23/2026

🥶While we are expecting a major storm this coming weekend, we will first see the coldest air of the season beginning tonight into tomorrow. Here are a few cold weather safety tips to keep you safe.🥶

❗ To keep pipes from freezing on an outside wall:
1. Let hot and cold water trickle or drip at night from a faucet.
2. Open cabinet doors to allow more heat to get to un-insulated pipes under a sink or near an outer wall.
3. Make sure heat is left on and set no lower than 55 degrees.
4. If you plan to be away: (1) Have someone check your house daily to make sure the heat is still on to prevent freezing, or (2) drain and shut off the water system (except indoor sprinkler systems).

❗ If Pipes Freeze:
1. Make sure you and your family knows how to shut off the water, in case pipes burst.
2. NEVER try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch. Use a hair dryer instead.
3. Always be careful of the potential for electric shock in and around standing water.

❗ Carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent, deadly killer claiming about 1,000 lives each year in the United States.
1. Install a carbon monoxide detector.
2. NEVER run generators indoors.
3. Open a window slightly when using a kerosene heater and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. NEVER use a gas oven to heat your home.
5. If your heat goes out, you can keep warm indoors by closing off rooms you do not need, dressing in layers of lightweight clothing, and wearing a cap.

❗ Wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and heaters:
1. Always keep a screen around an open flame.
2. NEVER use gasoline to start your fireplace.
3. NEVER burn charcoal indoors.
4. Do not close the damper when ashes are hot.
5. Use only safe sources of alternative heat such as a fireplace, small well-vented wood or coal stove or portable space heaters. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Coals from a woodstove or fireplace can stay hot for long periods of time. If cleaning out your woodstove or fireplace, the ashes should be placed in a metal container and stored outside away from the house and other combustible materials.

01/21/2026

A significant winter storm will be making its way across the country later this week and there is becoming a high likelihood of the storm impacting our area. It's time to begin preparing ahead of the storm.

✅ Ensure your vehicle is ready for safe winter driving. Keep the gas tank at least half-full, have a Winter Emergency Car Kit in the trunk, and make sure all parts of vehicle are ready
for winter: wipers, tires, etc.

✅ Build an emergency kit for disasters that contains items that will sustain you & your family's specific needs if you are not able to leave your home.

✅ Ensure your home is ready for winter. Remove dead or rotting trees and branches around your home that could fall and cause injury or damage.

✅ Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh batteries.

✅ Be a good neighbor. Ask elderly neighbors or neighbors with disabilities if they would like your assistance with preparing.

✅ Prepare for power outages by charging cell phones and electronics and setting your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings. If you use electricity to get well water, fill your bathtub with water to use for flushing toilets.

09/15/2025

September is National Prepardness Month, which encourages American's to prepare for emergencies.

This year's theme focuses on getting back to basics. Here are four key actions you can take to prepare for an emergency:

⚡ Know your risk:
Know what could happen where you and your family live. This helps you figure out what you need to do to stay safe. You can explore various disasters and emergencies on Ready.gov.

🦺 Make a family emergency plan
• Making a plan early helps you reduce stress and save time and money.
• Disasters are costly but preparing for them doesn’t have to be. Taking time to prepare now can help save you thousands of dollars and give you peace of mind when the next disaster or emergency occurs.
• Visit Ready.gov’s low and no-cost tip page to see how you can be better prepared without spending a lot of money.

🧰 Build an emergency supply kit
• Having enough food, water and medicine can help you stay safe and comfortable until help arrives. Having what you need can also prevent injury and damage to your home.
Build a go-bag with all the essentials you might need, so you don’t need to scramble in an evacuation situation.
• Get involved in your community by taking action to prepare for emergencies.
• Emergencies can happen fast, and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You can learn these steps when you take a first aid class through many organizations in your community.
• Join a Community Emergency Response Team program and get trained on basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.

For more information, visit https://www.ready.gov

09/06/2025

There is a possibility of strong to severe storms across the region this afternoon. While the highest threat remains to our west, forecasts continue to evolve. Please keep an eye to the sky this afternoon and take shelter immediately if necessary.

A round of strong to severe storms will move through southern New England late in the day Saturday, mainly for interior locations. The main threats are damaging winds, hail, and even a tornado.

06/24/2025

With today's expected heat values around 110°, Heat exhaustion and Heat stroke are very real threats. If you are working outside, or outside trying to enjoy the Florida like weather, take frequent breaks, drink lots of fluids, and wear light colored clothing.

Know the symptoms of heat related emergencies, and if you notice you or others around you are not feeling well, get out of the heat and seek medical help immediately if symptoms don't improve or you recognize the symptoms of heat stroke.

05/01/2025

May 1st is National Heatstroke Prevention Day. Can you recognize the signs of Heatstoke vs. Heat Exhaustion? Heatstroke is a life threating emergency and the quicker it is identified, the better the chances for survival.

02/08/2025

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 1pm Sunday. Please make sure the hydrant closest to your house is kept clear of snow and ice.

10/02/2024

The Georgetown Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee is looking for community feedback. Join us for our 3rd and final listening session on Tuesday October 8th at 1pm at the Senior Center - 51 North St., as we work to update our Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Visit https://s.surveyplanet.com/04daz5cj for a brief 5 question survey about natural disasters related to Georgetown.
Visit https://www.georgetownma.gov/.../pages/maps-click-here to view maps.

09/12/2024

September is Emergency Preparedness Month. Are you and your family prepared in the event of an emergency?

Check out links provided by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) on safety tips for different types of hazards, and help prepare your family ahead of a manmade or natural disaster.

https://www.mass.gov/safety-tips-for-specific-threats-hazards

Emergency Preparedness Month: Start A Conversation: September is National Emergency Preparedness Month, which encourages families to discuss safety plans under this year’s theme, “Start a conversation.” According to FEMA, those who…

https://georgetownmapd.com/emergency-preparedness-month-start-a-conversation/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

08/19/2024

Join us tonight for a listening session at 7pm at the Board of Selectmen's Meeting, 3rd Floor Meeting Room at Town Hall, as we work to update our Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Visit https://s.surveyplanet.com/04daz5cj for a brief 5 question survey about natural disasters related to Georgetown.

Visit https://www.georgetownma.gov/.../pages/maps-click-here to view maps.

There will be 2 more community listening sessions in the coming months which will be posted.