Emergency preparedness for seniors in Phoenix comes down to four hazards: extreme heat, power outages, monsoon storms and wildfire smoke. The most useful steps are signing up for free county and utility alerts, enrolling in an APS or SRP medical program if someone at home relies on powered equipment, and writing a plan before summer.
Phoenix emergency preparedness at a glance
- Heat: Maricopa County sets up Heat Relief Sites from May 1 to September 30 each year and offers heat alert sign-ups.
- Power: APS and SRP both send outage alerts, and both run programs for customers who use electricity-dependent medical equipment.
- Monsoon: the City of Phoenix lists monsoon season as June 15 to September 30, with storms peaking mid-July to mid-August.
- Smoke: the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, run by EPA and the U.S. Forest Service, shows current particle pollution and smoke plumes.
- Emergencies: Maricopa County offers free RAVE Alerts by text, email or voice.
This post covers programs and sign-ups, not health care. It is not medical advice. Talk with your own doctor about medications, equipment and how heat or smoke affects you, and confirm every program on the agency's own page before you rely on it.
Start with free alert sign-ups
Most of this plan costs nothing but a few minutes online. Maricopa County's emergency management page links to RAVE Alerts, a free service the Sheriff's Office uses to notify the public during emergencies such as wildfire evacuations and flooding. You can register a home address, a work address or another location, and choose text, email or voice messages.
The county's Emergency Zones map shows whether your address is in an active zone, and the county uses the Ready, Set, Go! levels: READY means have a plan and a kit, SET means a serious threat is nearby, and GO means evacuate immediately and follow the instructions of emergency personnel. Some cities publish their own evacuation information, so check your city's website too.
What I tell clients after closing: do the sign-ups the week you get the keys. Snowbirds who arrive in the fall often skip summer prep, but if anyone in the household might stay into June, the plan should be written while the weather is still mild.
Extreme heat: county resources
Maricopa County's Extreme Heat page says Heat Relief Sites, including cooling centers, respite centers and hydration stations, are set up across the county from May 1 to September 30. The county's Heat Relief map is offline in the off-season and is listed to return May 1, 2027. The same page offers a heat alert subscription and links to energy and utility bill assistance programs and to bilingual help for seniors covering housing, transportation, long-term care and home-delivered meals. The county's main line is 602-506-3011.
The National Weather Service office in Phoenix posts heat information on weather.gov/psr, including its Heat Program pages and an experimental HeatRisk tool. For more on summer planning, see my post on Phoenix heat safety for seniors, and if you leave for the summer, closing up an Arizona home for summer.
Power outages: APS and SRP programs
The Phoenix area is served by more than one electric utility. The City of Phoenix lists outage reporting for both APS and SRP, so check your bill or ask the seller which one serves the address you are buying.
APS
APS says customers with an active text-enabled cell phone number or email on file are automatically enrolled in outage alerts, which share estimated restoration times, updates and notice when power is restored. You can manage those alerts by signing in at aps.com. The City of Phoenix lists 855-688-2437 for reporting an APS outage.
The APS Medical Care Program is for households where someone has a life-threatening illness or uses critical medical equipment that requires electricity. Enrolled customers get notice before a planned outage by phone, letter, email or text. The application needs a section completed by a licensed medical professional and must be returned by mail. APS also notes that it does not always know when there will be a loss of power, and it suggests registering with your county emergency management office. APS lists 844-309-5655 for program questions. APS also lists a separate bill discount program for qualifying medical households, with its own application.
SRP
SRP says all customers with a mobile number or email on file are automatically enrolled in outage alerts. If you are not, sign in to My Account and turn on Outage eNotes. SRP's outage map shows areas without power and estimated restoration times, and SRP lists (602) 236-8888 as its 24/7 outage line. The SRP Power app also lets you report and view outages.
SRP's Medical Preparedness Program gives enrolled customers advance notice of planned outages so they can decide whether to stay home or leave temporarily. SRP says the patient must use at least one SRP-approved electric-dependent FDA Class III device at home, the account must be on a billed residential price plan, and a physician must verify the equipment need. SRP states that small volume nebulizers and CPAP machines are not qualifying devices. SRP resource counselors are at (602) 236-3000, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Neither utility's medical program page promises priority restoration during an unplanned outage, so a backup plan still matters. SRP's own outage kit list includes important phone numbers, a first aid kit with each person's prescription medications, supplies for older adults and family members with disabilities, flashlights with fresh batteries, and surge protectors.
Monsoon storms
The City of Phoenix lists monsoon season as June 15 to September 30. Its storm guidance is simple: never drive into a dust storm ("Pull aside, stay alive!"), do not drive into floodwater since six inches of water can cause most cars to lose control, and never go around barricades. Report downed lines by staying back and calling 911. When a major flood-risk storm is forecast, the city makes sand available at specific parks, first come, first served, and you bring your own bags and shovel.
NWS Phoenix keeps Monsoon and Monsoon Safety pages on weather.gov/psr. For the house itself, from roofs to patio furniture, see my monsoon season tips for Arizona homeowners. If your community has rules on shade structures or portable generators, ask the association before storm season.
Wildfire smoke
Smoke from fires elsewhere in the state can reach the Valley. The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, a joint effort of EPA and the U.S. Forest Service, shows current particle pollution, fire locations, smoke plumes and recommended actions. Maricopa County also offers air quality email and text alerts and a Clean Air app that flags High Pollution Advisories.
For the house, EPA's indoor air guidance during smoke events is to keep windows and doors closed, set an HVAC system to recirculate or close the outdoor intake damper, run a portable air cleaner where people spend the most time, and replace filters more often than usual when they look dirty. EPA also describes setting up a clean room and avoiding indoor smoke sources such as candles, incense and frying. Questions about breathing conditions belong with your own doctor.
A first-month checklist for new owners
- Confirm whether APS or SRP serves the address, and check that outage alerts are on.
- If someone uses electricity-dependent medical equipment, start the utility's medical program application with your doctor.
- Register for RAVE Alerts and the county heat alert subscription, and look up your address on the Emergency Zones map.
- Add a support person to your plan. Ready.gov suggests at least one person in your support network has an extra key to your home.
- Make copies of Medicare and other insurance cards, and keep batteries and chargers for devices in your kit, as ready.gov recommends.
- Ask the association about generator, portable air conditioner and guest rules during outages.
More local help is in my guides to senior services in the West Valley and senior services in the East Valley.
When preparedness shapes the house search
Some buyers now ask about emergency features during showings. Homes that fit that list, by features: single-level living, an air conditioning system they plan to have inspected, a garage with room for a supply shelf, and an interior room that could serve as a clean room on smoky days. Ask about association rules on generators before you assume one can be installed. The 55+ homes guide is a good place to compare communities across the Valley.
Questions people ask
When are Maricopa County cooling centers open?
The county says Heat Relief Sites are set up from May 1 to September 30. Check the county's Extreme Heat page for the current map, which is listed to return May 1, 2027.
Do APS and SRP warn medical equipment users before an outage?
Yes, for planned outages. The APS Medical Care Program and the SRP Medical Preparedness Program both send advance notice to enrolled customers. Both require medical verification, and neither replaces a backup plan for unplanned outages.
Does a CPAP qualify for SRP's Medical Preparedness Program?
SRP states that small volume nebulizers and CPAP machines are not qualifying medical devices. Call SRP at (602) 236-3000 with questions about other equipment.
How do I get emergency alerts in Maricopa County?
Sign up for free RAVE Alerts through the county's emergency management page. You can choose text, email or voice messages for a home or other address.
Is this medical advice?
No. This post covers public programs and sign-ups. Talk with your own doctor about health and equipment needs.
I am Terry Day, REALTOR® with DeLex Realty. If you are shopping for a 55+ home and want one that makes summer and storm season easier to manage, call me with your West Valley or East Valley must-haves.