PRACTICE

Train your family to manage disasters by practicing and conducting family disaster drills. This will help you know what to do during difficult times. Make sure that everyone in your house knows how to turn off Gas & Water should it become necessary. Make sure you practice your escape routes.

PREPARE

Gather necessary disaster supplies for sheltering at home and prepare a portable disaster supply “go-kit” in case your family needs to evacuate. Make sure each of your cars has a go-kit too. Gather all vital records and documents. Remember water is one of the most vital items to have. vital items to have is water.

PLAN

Before disaster strikes, develop a family plan for common types of disasters that may affect your family. Plan to stockpile emergency supplies, protect your home, keep in touch with family members, and make decisions for when you will shelter at home or evacuate.

No matter what the Disaster or Emergency, this simple 3 P approach is one way to help you prepare.

There are actions that should be taken before, during and after an event that are unique to each hazard. Identify the hazards that have happened or could happen in your area and plan for the unique actions for each.  Local Emergency management offices can help identify the hazards in your area and outline the local plans and recommendations for each. Share the hazard-specific information with family members and include pertinent materials in your family disaster plan.

To develop your family emergency plan, you need to be able to answer the

following questions:

1. What are the possible emergencies you and your family might face in your area

of the country?

2. How will you and your family evacuate or escape your home if you need to?

3. Where will you meet your family members if all of you are not home at the

time of evacuation?

4. What route will you and your family take out of your neighborhood and town if you

need to leave?

5. Do you have another route if needed?

6. What supplies will you take with you?

7. What types of supplies will you and your family need to “shelter in place”? Do you have

enough of these items? (“Shelter in place” is the process of staying where you are and taking

shelter, rather than trying to evacuate.)

8. What are your neighborhood or community warning signals (such as horns or sirens when

a tornado has been seen in the area)? Do you and other family members know what they

sound like and what they mean?

9. What resources, organizations, and emergency services are in your community that can help

in an emergency? What is your backup plan if help is unable to reach you and your family?

10. Have you contacted any local organizations (for example, a local emergency room at a

nearby hospital, the United Way, the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army) to let them know that

someone in your family has special needs in the event of an emergency?

11. Do you have a place for your pets if you need to leave your home? Will you be able to take them with you wherever you are going?