Your Family's Plan

Emergency planning is everyone’s responsibility. Local officials and relief workers will be on scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. It is vital that your family be able to take care of themselves.

  • Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster.Explain the dangers of fire and severe weather to your children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team. Keep it simple enough so people can remember the important details, as a disaster is an extremely stressful situation that can create confusion.
  • Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing disasters ahead of time will help reduce fear and anxiety and will help everyone know how to respond.
  • Pick 2 places to meet:

·Right outside of your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire.

·Outside of your neighborhood in case you can’t return home or are asked to leave your neighborhood. Everyone must know the address and phone number of the meeting locations.

  •     Develop an emergency communication plan. Identify several methods of communication. These could include cell phones, family phone numbers, and locations that you can access a phone.
  •     Ask an out-of-town relative or friend to be your family contact. Your contact should live outside of your area. After a disaster, it is often easier to make a long distance call than a local call. Family members should call the contact and tell him or her where they are. Everyone must know the contact’s name, address, and phone number.
  •     Discuss what to do if authorities ask you to evacuate. Make arrangements for a place to stay with a friend or relative or check with your church or other local organization, to see if they have a host-a-family program. This is especially important if you live in a manufactured home. Visit SHELTERS for more information on shelter locations.
  •     Plan how to take care of your pets. Unless you are absolutely unable, always take your pets with you if you must evacuate. Please visit the PROTECTING YOUR PETS page for more information.
Check out this website for more information on forming your family's plan!
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