Research
- Find out which disasters could occur in your area.
- Ask how to prepare for each disaster.
- Ask how you would be warned of an emergency.
- Learn your community's evacuation routes.
- Ask about special assistance for elderly or disabled persons.
- Ask your workplace about emergency plans.
- Learn about emergency plans for your children?s school or day care center.
Create an Emergency Plan
- Meet with household members to discuss the dangers of fire, severe weather, earthquakes and other emergencies.
- Explain how to respond to emergencies.
- Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster.
- Discuss what to do about power outages and personal injuries.
- Draw a floor plan of your home and mark two escape routes from each room.
- Show family members where to shut off the water, power, and gas and have placed the tools at each location.
- Post emergency telephone numbers near telephones.
- Know the location of the nearest police, fire station, and hospital.
- Your children know how to get help from neighbors and 911.
- Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
- Pick one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to call if separated during a disaster.
- Teach children your out-of-state contact's phone numbers.
- Pick two emergency meeting places: A place near your home in case of a fire and a place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home after a disaster.
- Take a basic first aid and CPR class.
- Keep family records in a water and fire-proof container.
Items to include in a Disaster Supplies Kit
- Drinking water (3-6 day supply).
- Food (3-6 day supply, requires no cooking, high energy).
- Manual can opener
- Flashlight (check batteries regularly).
- Portable radio (check batteries regularly).
- Spare batteries.
- First aid kit and prescription medications.
- A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes.
- Blankets or sleeping bags.
- Light sticks (safer than candles).
- An extra pair of glasses.
- Credit cards and cash.
- An extra set of car keys.
- A list of family physicians.
- A list of important family information; the style and serial number of medical devices such as pacemakers.
- Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members.
Plan Ahead
- Look around your house for potential hazards.
- Secure heavy pictures and mirrors onto walls away from beds.
- Place heavy objects on lower shelves.
- Strap water heaters to wall studs.
- Keep chimneys and vents free from dirt and debris.
- Store flammable products away from potential heat sources.