National Preparedness Month: Make a Plan

You've set yourself up with ways to stay informed. You've prepared a Go Kit for your household. Now it's time to make a plan!

Start by discussing these topics with your household. What kinds of disasters may you face? Whether it be tornadoes, flooding, fire, or something else, think through some scenarios as you go along. 

Work through the following questions together:

• How will you receive alerts and warnings? 

• Where and how do I shelter in place (for example, from a tornado)?

• How do I get out if I need to evacuate (for example, from a fire)? 

• How do we communicate with each other (in the household) during and after an emergency? 

• Where do we meet if we’re separated?

Consider the specific needs within your household – different ages, responsibilities, any dietary or medical needs, and any language considerations. We’ll talk about this more next week. Subscribe to this blog so you don't miss an update!

DIY Emergency Plans

Once you've considered the questions above, put your plan on paper! FEMA has easy-to-use forms that put all this important information in one place. Download and/or fill out these do-it-yourself emergency plans:

• Make A Plan form: Put your information into this online form, and it will generate a PDF emergency plan for you.
• Family Communications Plan for Adults
• Family Communications Plan for Kids

Be sure to print out your plans so that everyone still has access to them during a power, data, or internet outage. Review your plans with your household at least annually.