Family Emergency Preparedness Planning

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, including neighborhood contacts.
• 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.

• Create a neighborhood communication plan.
• Help neighbors with special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons.
• Make plans for the care of children, if parents cannot get home.
• Learn response plans for your children’s schools or child care facilities.

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).