Emergency Management

Local emergency management includes activities that help the town prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate the risk of future emergency incidents.

Planning takes place on a community-wide basis, and also provides training and resources to individuals and families for developing a personal preparedness plan.

During an extensive power outage or in other emergency situations, warming/evacuation center or overnight shelter locations may be opened in Calais or surrounding towns. Notice of open shelters and other information on local emergency conditions include:

• Vermont 211 https://vermont211.org/
• Calais town website homepage banner https://www.calaisvermont.gov/
• Vermont Emergency Management website: https://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert
• Radio stations: WDEV AM 550 and FM 96.1 Vermont Public Radio
• Front Porch Forum
• Red Cross listing of open shelters:https://www.redcross.org/get-help.html

Possible warming/evacuation or overnight shelter sites include:

Calais Elementary School, Calais Town Hall, Maple Corner Community Center, Barre Auditorium.

If utility lines are down and access to internet or cell service is not available, look for notices and
signs posted in typical foot traffic locations such as:

• East Calais post office
• Adamant post office/store
• Maple Corner post office/store
• Calais Elementary School
• Calais Town Office

To sign up for emergency alerts via cell phone, landline, text or email, register with Vermont Emergency Management: https://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert

For general information about family and community preparedness for emergencies:

• http://ready.gov/
• https://www.ready.gov/kit
• https://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness

Calais residents are encouraged to sign up for VT Alerts, the state’s notification system for emergencies such as weather, road conditions, flood warnings and Amber Alerts. VT Alerts has been updated with improved functionality and a smartphone app. If you have signed up in the past, you may need to re-register within the new system.

Citizen engagement is a vital part of effective emergency management. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Emergency Management Director Jordan Keyes.