NDResponse

09/13/2026

You probably (hopefully) have a fire extinguisher at your home, but when’s the last time you actually checked it? Does it have rust, dents, missing the pin, or low pressure? When was it last inspected on the inspection tag?

Dry chemical settles in fire extinguishers. It's recommended that they are checked once a year to make sure they're in good working order.

When you need it, you need it to work!

09/10/2026

If you had five minutes to evacuate your home, what are you grabbing?

You're probably not thinking about important documents but they will prove to be a headache if you lose them in a fire or flood.

This isn’t a wedding invitation – it’s your challenge to take pictures of your most important documents like IDs, prescriptions, insurance, passports, and anything else you’d rather not lose in an emergency. Save them somewhere safe and protect them with a strong password! Because disasters don’t RSVP.

09/09/2026

🔺 Red Flag Warning Issued for Thursday 🔺
Learn before you burn at NDResponse.gov/burn

The Fire Weather Watch was upgraded to a Red Flag Warning for Thursday.

09/04/2026

Disasters don’t always give you a fair warning that they’re coming. And some disasters you’ll need to shelter in place, and some you’ll need to evacuate. How will you make sure you have what you need? Building an emergency kit is a great way to keep the things you need handy all together when heading to the basement or leaving in the car.

Here is your basic emergency kit to keep on hand:
• Water (one gallon per person per day)
• Food (several-day supply of non-perishable food)
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle
• Shelter in place kit including plastic sheets, scissors, duct tape, and dust mask
• Basic personal hygiene like toilet paper, feminine hygiene, and wipes
• Basic cleaning supplies and garbage bags
• Basic tools including a wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
• Paper cups, plates, towels, and utensils
• Manual can opener
• Local maps
• Copies of important documents

Then, you can spend the rest of your precious time gathering your everyday essentials:
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
• Cash or traveler’s checks
• Medications
• Glasses and contacts
• Infant food and supplies
• Pet food and supplies
• Disaster-appropriate clothing
• Blankets and/or sleeping bags
• Comfort items
• Books, games, or puzzles to pass the time

09/02/2026

“But I thought I already got the alerts…” Nope. Not unless you sign up for the local ones. Your phone settings only control Weather and the five official Public Alerts we have in North Dakota.
Water main breaks, prepare-to-evacuate warnings, boil water orders – that’s your county or city. Today’s challenge is to go to your county emergency management pages for where you live, work, and play, and find out how to sign up for local alerts – and then actually sign up.

Find your emergency manager here https://www.des.nd.gov/contact/countytribal-contacts

09/01/2026

September is National Preparedness Month! You ready?

What should I be ready for, anyway?
Great question, Steve.
Short answer: everything but tsumanis and hurricanes (we see, you derechos).
North Dakota has the prestegious title of having the greatest day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year variability in both temperature and precipitation of any state in the nation. Talk about bragging rights. 😎

We'll be posting all this month about how to be prepared for all of the wild situations that North Dakota loves to throw our way.

Let's Go!

08/31/2026

If you have a fire start call 911 right away. In rural areas it may take some time for your local fire department to arrive on scene. They would rather turn around than have to contain a rapidly spreading wildfire.
Working together to keep our producers, responders, equipment, and lands safe this harvest season

08/28/2026

Chopping corn for silage this year?

When checking harvest equipment, identify and replace worn or damaged hydraulic hoses.
Hot, pressurized hydraulic fluid spraying from a faulty hose can quickly start a fire.

Ask us how we know.

Have a very safe harvest season!