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Making a plan

Having a plan in the event something happens can make the difference between taking care of your family, barely surviving or maybe even not surviving. Take time today, and make sure you're prepared!

Emergency Check List

  • Most importantly, have a place where your family knows to meet if something happens (like a fire) and you can‚Äôt get home like a local park or fire station. You may also want to consider having a couple of optional places to meet in the event you can‚Äôt get near your home (like a gas leak). Maybe a park or the corner of a store parking lot.

  • Know what Emergencies or Disasters are possible in your area. Do you live near a fault line or in a flood zone? Find out from local government emergency management how you will be notified for each kind of disasters, both natural and man-made. You should also inquire about alert and warning systems for workplace, schools and other locations. Methods of getting your attention vary from community to community. One common method is to broadcast via emergency radio and TV broadcasts. You might hear a special siren, or get a telephone call, or in rare circumstances, volunteers and emergency workers may go door-to-door.

  • Create a basic emergency supply kit. We offer kits as low as $8.00 that could help you and your family stay alive in the event something unspeakable happens. Big picture, this is what you need; Water (have one gallon per person, per day, for three days‚Äîfor drinking and sanitation); food (have a three-day supply of nonperishable items); can opener; battery-powered radio; flashlight; extra batteries; moist towelettes and garbage bags (for sanitation needs); local maps (if your pre-planned evacuation route isn‚Äôt passable, you can navigate back roads, if necessary); first-aid kit; whistle (one per person to signal for help); wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities); dust mask. Make considerations for your families special needs; special diet foods, medications, baby formula & diapers, pet food, or extra eyeglasses.

  • Make a ‚ÄúGo-Bag‚Äù. A Go-Bag is typically a backpack you can grab on your way out if you need to evacuate quickly. It should include essentials like nonperishable food, water, a small first aid kit, a flashlight and a change of clothes.

  • Know your way out of town. The highway and the back roads. The highways may become overcrowded or unusable in some emergencies. So have some alternatives.

  • Have an appointed person (like Uncle Bob) that everyone in your family knows to check in with after an emergency. Also make sure everyone knows that if the phones go down the best way to communicate is by texting. This person will be the point person to keep track of everyone, so make sure they are up for the task. Also make sure everyone has Uncle Bob‚Äôs phone number in their head because cell phones might not work.

  • Know the emergency plan at your child‚Äôs school. If your kids are evacuated from school or day care, where do they go? Where can you pick them up?

  • Talk about your plan with your family. Talk about it often and with every member. Talk about it with kids even more often, the more they understand the more empowered they will feel if something does happen.