STOCKTON, Calif. - Today, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services (OES) launched the Know Your Zone public awareness campaign to help residents understand their evacuation zones and prepare for potential emergencies particularly flooding associated with El Niño.

As part of this initiative, the County will begin using evacuation zones instead of street names in emergency alert and warning notifications to provide more precise and consistent information during emergencies. This change will help residents more easily identify the areas affected by an emergency and understand where to find relevant evacuation information. Residents are encouraged to look up their evacuation zone now so they can recognize their zone code and know where to turn for information when an emergency occurs.

“Protecting the safety and well-being of our residents is a top priority for San Joaquin County,” said Sonny Dhaliwal, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “The Know Your Zone campaign reflects our commitment to building a more prepared and resilient community by ensuring residents have the information they need before an emergency occurs.”

OES is raising awareness throughout San Joaquin County through community outreach, media partnerships, and collaboration with local agencies and community partners. These efforts will help share important preparedness information and ensure residents have opportunities to learn about the transition to evacuation zones.

“We want our community members to be aware of the change in emergency alert and warning notifications from street names to evacuation zones,” said Tiffany Cacho, Director of Emergency Operations for the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services. “We recognize that becoming familiar with this change will take time, which is why we’re launching Know Your Zone now. We encourage everyone to learn their evacuation zone before El Niño arrives.”

The campaign also encourages County departments, partner agencies, and community organizations to help spread the message by sharing Know Your Zone materials through websites, social media, public communications, and community outreach efforts. By working together to increase awareness and preparedness, the County aims to help residents better understand evacuation information and take timely action when emergencies occur.

Residents can learn more about the Know Your Zone campaign and find their evacuation zone by visiting www.sjready.org/knowyourzone.

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