Prescott Valley emergency manager urges residents to sign up for alerts, update plans and keep a week's supplies

Joel Schieffer, Prescott Valley’s emergency manager, told the town’s PV in Focus podcast that improving public notification systems, updating emergency plans and practicing regional exercises are top priorities for the coming year.

Schieffer, who said he has been in Prescott Valley just over a year, described his work as "to really take the lead and handle all things emergency related," including mitigation, planning, response and recovery. He emphasized the town’s recent migration to a unified messaging platform and encouraged residents to register for alerts.

Why it matters: Prescott Valley faces wildfire, flooding, monsoon and winter-storm risks that can trigger evacuations and prolonged disruptions. Upgraded notification systems and clearer evacuation routes seek to give people faster, actionable information during fast-moving incidents.

Schieffer explained the town migrated last year to a unified messaging system, Rave, shared with the City of Prescott and the regional dispatch center to send texts, calls and emails to subscribers. "If I had my wish, every single resident and visitor who comes through Prescott Valley would be signed up for Rave emergency notifications," he said. Residents can also download the Smart911 app or sign up at prescottvalleyalerts.gov.

He introduced a second free app, Genesys Protect, which uses device location services to notify users when they enter an active evacuation area, point to evacuation centers and provide status updates. "Genesys Protect requires for its best effectiveness that you have your location services of your device on," Schieffer said.

Schieffer said the town will update its emergency operations plan and continuity-of-operations (COOP) documentation and work on hazard mitigation and response plans. He warned against overly rigid "playbooks" that responders might follow without adapting to conditions, and said plans should be flexible to avoid freezing during unexpected developments.

Interagency coordination is central to the town’s approach. Schieffer said the Prescott Valley Police Department and CAFMA maintain their own plans but are integral to the town’s emergency operations plan, and he recommended regular exercises involving Prescott Valley PD, the sheriff’s office, the City of Prescott and CAFMA.

On household preparation, Schieffer urged residents to create defensible space around property, plan multiple evacuation routes and maintain supplies. He said longstanding guidance to keep a three-day kit is often insufficient and recommended "at least a week's worth of supplies," including food, water, filtration and medications.

Schieffer directed listeners to the town’s emergency management web page and Ready.gov for FEMA best practices, noting that not all operational documents will be public for security reasons but basic versions and links will be available for review. He also stressed privacy safeguards: while he administers the system, the vendor limits who can view subscriber data.

The town’s next steps include continued outreach to homeowners associations and subdivisions, work on evacuation-route improvements, public updates on the emergency management web page and periodic exercises with regional partners. Residents can sign up for alerts at prescottvalleyalerts.gov.

The PV in Focus episode closed with thanks to Schieffer; the show noted it will run monthly spotlight segments on local government and community partners.