Don’t be a Victim … Make a Plan!

By Gloria Way

  Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. In our area, we can have severe flooding, high winds, and hurricanes. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.

Step 1: Put a plan together by discussing the questions below with your family, friends or household to start your emergency plan.

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
2. What is my shelter plan?
3. What is my evacuation route?
4. What is my family/household communication plan?
5. Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Step 2:  Consider specific needs in your household.

  As you prepare your plan, tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some these factors when developing your plan:

• Different ages of members within your household
• Responsibilities for assisting others
• Locations frequented
• Dietary needs
• Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
• Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
• Languages spoken
• Cultural and religious considerations
• Pets or service animals
• Households with school-aged children

Step 3: Create a Family Emergency Plan

Make a Family Emergency Plan quickly and easily with fillable forms available on ready.gov

Step 4: Practice your plan with your family/household

  Preparedness Materials available on ready.gov

• Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables

• Document and insure your property

• Know your alerts and warnings.

• 12 ways to prepare

There are a number of suggestions on the website ready.gov on not only how to prepare yourself and your family for a natural disaster, but also your pets and large animals.