Hamilton County wants to know how prepared local residents feel for the next emergency and is asking them to respond by Monday, Sept. 21.

The Hamilton County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is urging residents to complete its online Preparedness Survey at hcema.org/Survey2026. The survey asks residents to share their views on the county's emergency preparedness priorities. Responses are anonymous and confidential, according to the City of Blue Ash's website.

The push comes during National Preparedness Month.

Hamilton County EMA posted the call to action on Monday, Sept. 7, asking residents to share their thoughts on the county's priorities. The Blue Ash website said participation helps the county better meet residents' needs before, during and after an emergency.

The survey arrives after a year of real emergency activity in the county. Hamilton County EMA activated its Emergency Operations Center during countywide flooding from March 28 through April 8, 2025, when the area saw 7.5 inches of rain, according to the agency's 2025 annual report. More recently, the agency issued and lifted an evacuation order around the Whitewater River on Aug. 14.

Nick Crossley, the agency's director, wrote in the 2025 annual report that "preparedness begins long before an emergency occurs." That year, EMHSA staff attended 27 community outreach events and distributed 10,268 preparedness materials to the public.

Montgomery and Sycamore Township both have representatives on the EMHSA Executive Committee. Craig Margolis represents Montgomery, and Thomas Weidman represents Sycamore Township, according to the annual report.

Sycamore Township, home to an estimated 20,000 residents, updated its own Emergency Operations Plan in January to align with the county's plan. The township's Board of Trustees approved the update unanimously on Jan. 6.

Hamilton County operates 189 outdoor warning sirens across six zones, activated by EMHSA duty officers when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning. The county's Alert HC notification system had 33,767 subscribers as of December 2025.

Residents can sign up for Alert HC at alerthc.org. The preparedness survey closes Monday, Sept. 21, at hcema.org/Survey2026.