Prepping in Mesa
In 2023, the Phoenix area went 31 straight days at 110°F or above. In Mesa, a summer power outage is the emergency to plan for.
- Extreme heat
- Monsoon storms
- Outages in heat
Sign up today
The official Mesa alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- Maricopa County RAVE alertsSign up for county alerts
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office emergency alerts for anyone who lives, works or travels in the county. Sign up through a free Smart911 profile.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Mesa
- Extreme heat
- Highs above 110°F and very warm nights make heat the deadliest hazard in the Valley.
- Outages in heat
- Homes heat up quickly without AC, which is dangerous for older adults and anyone with medical needs.
- Monsoon storms
- Microbursts bring down trees and lines, and flash floods fill washes and low roads.
- Dust storms
- Haboobs cut visibility to near zero on highways.
What that means for your plan
Have a plan to stay cool without power: a power station for fans, a cool room, and somewhere to go.
Keep two weeks of water, plus extra for pets.
If a dust storm hits while you're driving, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.
Do these first, in this order
- Two weeks of water
The first priority in the desert.
Water storage and filters guide - Power station
Fans and medical devices through summer outages.
Power stations and generators guide - County alerts
Official warnings for monsoon storms.
Radios and communication guide - First-aid kit
Know the signs of heat illness.
First aid and medical guide - Car kit
Water and shade if you're stuck on the road in heat.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - Battery CO alarm
If you'd run a generator in an outage.
Power stations and generators guide
Questions
How do I get emergency alerts in Mesa?
Sign up for Maricopa County's RAVE alerts through a free Smart911 profile, and keep Wireless Emergency Alerts on.
What should I do if the power goes out in summer?
Move to the coolest room, run fans on battery power, drink water steadily and check on neighbors. If it gets dangerously hot, go somewhere with power or AC.
How ready is your Mesa home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.