Getting yourself and your family prepared in case of an emergency takes
less time and effort than you may think.
But if a disaster hits your community, having a plan for what to do, and
stocking up on some basic supplies, can make all the difference in how safely
and comfortably you make it through the crisis.
In case of a major emergency, if you call 911, we may not be able to come
out as quickly as you’d like us, because we’re going to be overwhelmed.
We’re going to have so many different situations at hand. So if you are
prepared at home – and you have a plan – then you’ll be able to cope with it
until help arrives.
In an emergency, everything goes out the window. Your emotions, the fear
factor. Confusion. If everybody’s aware of the plan and can execute the plan,
that increases your survivability.
Take a few minutes to check out the tips and tools available on Ready.gov
that make getting prepared easy.
There are a few basics:
First, learn about the types of risks that could affect your area.
No matter where you live, there is a natural or man-made disaster that could
strike without warning.
Knowing what to do before, during and after these types of events, ahead of
time, will help you make an effective plan.
Then, take a moment to sit with your family and decide how you will get in
contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in the event
of an emergency.
Having a plan that everyone in the family is aware of can be very helpful
in those situations where the family members are not in the same place.
You can use the “Family Emergency Plan” available on Ready.gov to organize
family information and help you develop a plan that works for you.
Identify someone locally and someone out of state who will be your contact
person in case of an emergency.
And learn how to send updates via text messaging to your friends and family.
One of the things that we’ve noticed in the past during major emergencies, both
the regular phone lines as well as the cell phone lines were overwhelmed. But
people were still able to text message vital pieces of information in terms of
location, nature of problem, or just to text to say, “all is well.”
Once you’ve established your plan, print out a list available on Ready.gov
and start to put together an emergency kit.
A standard emergency kit includes food, water, and medicine to sustain all
members of your household for at least three days.
Visit Ready.gov for a complete list of suggested items, along with
recommendations for how to prepare a family emergency plan.
Even if you just add a few items at a time, very quickly you will have a
great kit that will ensure you and your family are prepared for an emergency.
Also, be sure to keep a copy of the emergency plan, together with copies of
important documents like birth certificates, insurance policies, and
financial forms in your emergency supply kit.
And don’t forget to maintain your kit and plan throughout the year, replacing
items prior to their expiration and keeping contact information current.
Remember that emergency preparedness is not something you can do once and
forget about it. Make sure that you review your kit periodically. You
update any medication or food and supplies. And also that you
periodically review it with your family.
Inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time like
work, school, faith organizations and recreational activities.
Finally, get to know the local resources available in your community.
Ready.gov can link you to local emergency information and contact
numbers; information about sheltering and evacuation; and how to get local
alerts and warnings.
We can’t predict where or when the next disaster will happen.
But we do know that when the time comes, individuals and families who
have taken even a few steps to prepare themselves will feel more confident and
secure in their ability to get through it.
Check out the information on Ready.gov and get started today!