City of Orange, CA
Home MenuReadyOrange: One-Day Preparedness Class
Free training from the Orange Fire Department. No experience required.
In a major emergency, professional responders are stretched across an entire city at once. The first hours belong to whoever is already there. ReadyOrange is a single-day class built to make that person you — not a first responder, but as someone who knows what to do while help is on its way.
What you'll learn
The class is organized around the hazards that actually reach Orange rather than a generic national curriculum. Examples of curriculum covered:
- Santa Ana wind events: What this means for the canyon and how evacuation zones and routes work in Orange.
- Earthquakes: Learn what to do in the first sixty seconds of an earthquake and what to check afterward.
- Floods: Find out where debris flow risk sits along Santiago Creek and the Santa Ana River channel.
- Power Outage: Learn how to get through a multi-day power shutoff with medical equipment in the house.
- And More: Learn about how extreme heat becomes dangerous faster than most people expect.
You'll also do the practical things most households never get around to: build a go bag, find and label your gas and water shutoffs, choose an out-of-area contact, and fill in a written household plan. You leave with the plan completed, not with homework.
What it costs you
One Saturday, roughly 8 hours. Nothing else. Materials, workbook, and refreshments are provided. There is no follow-on commitment and no obligation to volunteer.
Who it's for
Anyone 13 or older who lives or works in Orange. Participants under 18 attend with a parent or guardian. No experience or equipment needed. Bring a neighbor — households that plan together do better than households that plan alone, and the class works especially well for HOA boards, block groups, and families attending as a unit.
When it's offered
ReadyOrange runs twice a year, with additional sessions added when there's demand. Registration is on Eventbrite — sign up and you're in. If nothing is listed right now, follow us there and you'll be notified as soon as the next date is posted.
Register on Eventbrite (opens in a new window)
Want to go further?
Most Orange CERT members started with a single Saturday class. If you want a formal role in the City's response, the CERT Academy is the next step.
Learn about the CERT Academy and Orange CERT
Questions
Megan Berumen, Emergency Manager
(714) 288-2571
mberumen@cityoforange.org