Mark Twain Fire Evacuation Drill: What Residents Need to Know

Storey County Emergency Management hosted an informational Town Hall for Mark Twain residents to walk through details of the upcoming fire evacuation drill scheduled for March 28, 2026 from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

The drill is designed to help residents practice safely evacuating in the event of a wildfire and to strengthen coordination among emergency responders. The exercise will use the newly implemented Ready, Set, Go framework, a statewide approach used by emergency response agencies to help communities prepare for all types of evacuations.

What Residents Can Expect

On the day of the drill, participating residents will receive official notifications through Smart911. Alerts will be sent prior to the drill and again the morning of the exercise with instructions and evacuation route information.

Residents are asked to treat the drill as if it were a real wildfire evacuation by:

• Securing their home as they normally would
• Thinking through what they would take during a real evacuation
• Following the route provided in their Smart911 alert
• Checking in at the Mark Twain Community Center

The Mark Twain Community Center will serve as the evacuation destination, where a Resource Fair will be set up with agencies sharing preparedness information and collecting feedback about the exercise.

Once residents arrive and check in, they are free to return home.

This is a practice exercise. Residents do not need to bring pets or livestock for the drill.

What to Do Before Drill Day

Emergency Management encourages residents to:

• Sign up for Smart911 alerts at https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=storeycounty
• Review their household evacuation plan
• Prepare or update a go-bag with essential supplies
• Share information with neighbors who may not be on social media

Practicing evacuation procedures ahead of time helps reduce confusion and improve safety during a real emergency.

Storey County Emergency Management appreciates the residents who attended the Town Hall and encourages all Mark Twain residents to participate in the upcoming drill.

For additional information, contact Storey County Emergency Management at 775-847-3577 or visit https://www.storeycounty.org/297/Emergency-Management.