How to Prepare
Follow these steps to ensure you and your loved ones are safe.
Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes, so it's critical to create a plan before one happens. A good plan answers three key questions: How will you contact each other? How will you get back together? And what will you do in different emergency situations?
1. Collect Household Information
Create a paper copy of contact information for your family and other important people/offices (doctors, schools, service providers). Every family member should have a copy.
2. Choose Emergency Contacts
Designate an out-of-state friend or relative as your primary emergency contact. After a disaster, it's often easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town. Make sure everyone in your family has this person's contact information.
3. Pick Meeting Places
Establish two meeting places:
- A neighborhood spot: A specific location right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire. (e.g., the big oak tree across the street).
- A regional spot: A place outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home (e.g., a library, community center, or a friend's house).
4. Plan Evacuation Routes
Determine your primary and backup evacuation routes from your home, work, and school. Practice driving these routes and keep a map in your car in case GPS isn't available.
5. Safeguard Important Documents
Place copies of important documents in a waterproof, portable container. This includes birth certificates, passports, social security cards, insurance policies, and deeds or leases. Consider making digital copies and storing them in a password-protected cloud service.
Understand the specific disasters that are most likely to happen in your community. This will help you create a more effective plan. Are you in an area prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or wildfires? Knowing the risk helps you prepare the right supplies and practice the right safety drills.
Explore Common DisastersSign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts. A battery-powered or hand-crank radio is a crucial part of any emergency kit.
You may need to evacuate at a moment's notice. Plan where you will go and what route you will take. Practice your evacuation route with your family and have a plan for your pets. Keep a "Go Bag" ready with basic essentials.
Sometimes, the safest thing to do is stay where you are. Know how to shelter in place for different types of disasters. This usually involves going to an interior, windowless room on the lowest level of your home and bringing your emergency kit with you.