Be Prepared

Family Emergency Preparedness Plan

Regardless of the emergency situation or hazard anticipated, one of the best things you can do is to make a plan and prepare your family beforehand.

Create a Family Disaster Plan

• Gather information.
  • What disasters or hazards are most likely in your community? For your home?
  • How would you be warned?
  • How should you prepare for each?
• Know the warning signals for your area.
  • Learn the warning systems for your community.
  • Be sure you can hear or see the appropriate warning from your home.
• Obtain insurance for your family and home.
  • Check your homeowners insurance.
  • Get additional coverage for situations that may not be covered.
• Stay alert for emergency broadcasts.
  • Emergency Alert System broadcasts (radio, TV)
  • NOAA weather radio alerts
  • News sources – radio, television, internet
• Choose a post-hazard meeting place for your family.
  • A safe distance from your home for sudden emergencies (e.g., fire).
  • Outside your neighborhood in case you can’t return home.
  • Learn where area evacuation shelters are located.
• Make a family communication plan.
  • Know how you will contact each other if you are at work, school or other location.
  • Have an out-of-state friend or relative serve as an emergency contact for everyone to call.
  • Keep a list of emergency phone numbers.
  • Give emergency numbers to all family members and post by every phone.
• Make a family emergency supply kit.
  • You may need to survive on your own temporarily until you can get assistance.
  • Prepare a kit with 3 or more days of supplies (food, water, clothing).
• Share the above information with your family.
  • Meet with all members of your household.
  • Discuss the types of hazards that could occur.
  • Discuss your family’s plan.
  • Practice your plans.
• Plan how you and your neighbors could work together during a disaster.
  • Help neighbors who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons.
  • Make plans for child care in case parents cannot get home.
  • Learn plans for your work, children’s schools, or other locations.
• Don’t forget to include plans for your pets.

Family Emergency Plan Situations

• Shelter-in-place
  • Take immediate shelter wherever you are – home, work, school or in between – rather than entering into a hazardous situation.
  • Used for situations such as severe storms, winter weather, biological emergencies.
  • Time will vary; few hours to several days.
• Evacuation
  • Leaving your current location and seeking shelter at a safer place.
  • For situations such as flood or chemical accidents.
  • Time will vary; days, weeks - it may be never for some situations (e.g., flood).

For More Information

• Ready America (FEMA)
  • Guidebook to help you prepare for emergency situations.
    • www.ready.gov/america/index.html
• National Weather Service
  • Current hazardous weather threats for your location.
    • http://www.weather.gov/
  • NOAA Radio Channels for your Area
    • http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrbro.htm
• Safe and Well Website (American Red Cross)
  • Online registry to let family members know you are safe after a disaster situation.
    • http://disastersafe.redcross.org.

Family Emergency Contact Form