Planning for Disasters

Families should be prepared for all hazards that affect their area.  The National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross urge each family to develop a family disaster plan.  Where will your family be when disaster strikes?  They could be anywhere - at work, at school, or in the car.  How will you find each other?  Will you know if your children are safe?  Disasters may force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home.  What would you do if basic services - water, gas, electricity or telephones - were cut off?  Here are some basic steps to develop a family disaster plan:

Gather information about hazards.  Contact your local National Weather Service office, emergency management or civil defense office, and American Red Cross chapter.  Find out what type of disasters could occur and how you should respond.  Learn your community's warning signals and evacuation plans. Meet with your family to create a plan.  Discuss the information you have gathered.  Pick two places to meet:  a spot outside your home for an emergency, such as fire, and a place away from your neighborhood in case you can't return home.  Choose an out-of-state friend as your "familly check-in contact" for everyone to call if the family gets separated.  Discuss what you would do if advised to evacuate. Implement your plan. Post emergency telephone numbers by phones.  Install safety features in your house, such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.  Inspect your home for potential hazards.  Have our family learn basic safety measures, such as how to shut off utilities.  Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days.  Store supplies in easy-to-carry containers and important documents in a waterproof container.  Most importantly, as a family, practice and maintain your emergency plan.