Dukes County Emergency Management Association

07/21/2026

07/15/2026

⚠️ AIR QUALITY ALERT ⚠️
Smoke from Canadian wildfires is impacting air quality across Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued a Wildfire Smoke Alert as elevated fine-particle pollution continues to affect parts of the Commonwealth. While air quality on Martha’s Vineyard is currently in the Moderate (Yellow) category, conditions can change throughout the day, so it’s important to stay informed.

If you are in a sensitive group—including children, older adults, pregnant individuals, or those with asthma, heart disease, or other chronic medical conditions—consider limiting prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities if smoke becomes more noticeable.

Protect yourself by:
🍃 Monitoring local air quality before spending time outdoors.
🏠 Keeping windows and doors closed if smoke is present.
❄️ Running air conditioning on recirculate if available.
😷 Having a properly fitted N95 mask available for periods of heavier smoke.
💊 Keeping medications, such as rescue inhalers, readily accessible.
🚨 Seeking medical attention immediately if you experience chest pain, chest tightness, severe shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.

Stay informed by checking current air quality conditions at AirNow.gov before outdoor activities.

Dukes County Emergency Management Association will continue monitoring conditions and share updates if air quality worsens.

07/10/2026

🐾 Join Us for July’s Ready Together: Community Preparedness presentation! 🐾

July is National Pet Preparedness Month, and this month we’re focusing on keeping every member of your family safe—including the four-legged ones.

Emergencies can happen with little warning, and your pets depend on you to have a plan. Join West Tisbury Emergency Management for “Pet Preparedness: How to Keep Your Pets Safe in an Emergency” to learn practical steps you can take before disaster strikes.

📅 Saturday, July 18
🕞 3:30 PM
📍 West Tisbury Free Public Library

We’ll discuss:
🐶 Creating a pet emergency plan
🐱 Building a pet go-kit
🐴 Evacuation planning for pets and livestock
📋 Identification, medical records, and reunification tips
🏠 Sheltering safely with your animals

Whether you have dogs, cats, birds, livestock, or other pets, you’ll leave with simple preparedness tips to help protect the animals that depend on you.

Free and open to the public! We hope you’ll join us as we continue getting Ready Together for emergencies.

07/08/2026

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): Repairs to the bow doors of the M/V Island Home are complete, and the vessel will come back online with its 6:15 p.m. trip from Woods Hole. We thank our passengers for their continued patience as we work to accommodate all displaced customers.

Any customers who were on a canceled trip today, or who were affected by vehicle space limitations on the M/V Sankaty, will be placed in priority standby for travel. Priority standby vehicles will travel on a space-available basis after all automobiles with reservations are loaded on a trip. Priority standby vehicles will be loaded in the order they are lined up at the terminal.

All trips will run in and out of Vineyard Haven today to help manage the traffic.

UPDATE (11:45 A.M.): The M/V Island Home has been cleared by the U.S. Coast Guard to return to Woods Hole, where the SSA's maintenance personnel will perform a damage assessment and any necessary repairs.

The M/V Sankaty will run in place of the M/V Island Home starting with the 1:15 p.m. departure from Woods Hole. Delays will occur through the day, so thank you for your understanding and patience.

All trips will run from the Vineyard Haven Terminal today. No trips will run to or from Oak Bluffs.

UPDATE (11:20 a.m.): Due to an auto accident on board the M/V Island Home while it was docked at our Vineyard Haven Terminal this morning, the vessel is currently out of service. The vessel will remain docked until appropriate inspections can be made, and trips on the M/V Island Home through the noon departure from Vineyard Haven are currently canceled. Additional cancellations may be necessary, so customers should check www.steamshipauthority.com for travel updates.

The M/V Sankaty will run in place of the M/V Island Home starting with the 1:15 p.m. departure from Woods Hole. Delays will occur through the day, so thank you for your understanding and patience.

For more information: https://www.steamshipauthority.com/news/390-m_v_island_home_incident-july_8_2026

Earlier update:
The Steamship Authority is aware of an emergency situation currently occurring on the M/V Island Home, which is currently docked in Vineyard Haven. Our staff and emergency personnel are responding. The vessel's 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. departures are canceled, and more cancellations may occur. We will release more information as it is available.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and please continue to monitor the website for updates.

07/06/2026

Governor Maura Healey has proclaimed July 5-11, 2026, as “Hurricane Preparedness Week” in Massachusetts.

In the coming days, MEMA will share facts and tips about how you can stay safe before, during, and after a hurricane. Remember, impacts of tropical systems, such flooding and damaging winds, can affect all areas of the state, so it's important to be prepared.

To learn more, visit: www.mass.gov/hurricanes,

07/06/2026

Due to dangerous heat and humidity, the Oak Bluffs Public Library is open today as a Cooling Center from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Stop in to:
❄️ Cool off in air conditioning
🔋 Charge your devices
🌡️ Stay safe from the heat

Heat Safety Reminders:
• Drink plenty of water
• Limit time outdoors during peak heat
• Wear light-colored, lightweight clothing
• Check on neighbors and older adults
• Never leave children or pets in parked vehicles

If you experience signs of heat illness, move to a cool place and call 911 if symptoms are severe.

Please share to help spread the word.