1. Talk. Discuss with your family the disasters that can happen where you live. Establish responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. Designate alternates in case someone is absent.

2. Plan. Choose two places to meet after a disaster:

Right outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire.
Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate your neighborhood.

3. Learn. Each adult in your household should learn how and when to turn off utilities such as electricity, water and gas. Ask someone at the fire department to show you how to use the fire extinguisher you store in your home.

4. Check Supplies. Review your disaster supplies and replace water and food every six months. (More information on disaster supplies appears in the following section.)

5. Tell. Let everyone in the household know where emergency contact information is kept. Make copies for everyone to carry with them. Be sure to include an out-of-town contact. It may be easier to call out of the area if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Keep the information updated.

6. Practice. Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on a map in case main roads are impassable or grid-locked.
 

Build a Kit! What you have on hand when a disaster happens can make a big difference. Plan to store enough supplies for everyone in your household for at least three days.

1. Water. Have at least one gallon per person per day.

2. Food. Pack non-perishable, high-protein items, including energy bars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.

3. Flashlight. Include extra batteries.

4. First Aid Kit. Pack a reference guide.

5. Medications. Don’t forget prescription and non-prescription items.

6. Battery-operated radio. Include extra batteries.

7. Tools. Assemble a wrench to turn off gas if necessary, a manual can opener, a screwdriver, hammer, pliers, a knife, duct tape, plastic sheeting and garbage bags and ties.

8. Clothing. Provide a change of clothes for everyone, including sturdy shoes and gloves.

9. Personal items. Remember eyeglasses or contact lenses and solution; copies of important papers, including identification cards, insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, etc.; and comfort items such as toys and books.

10. Sanitary supplies. You’ll want toilet paper, towelettes, feminine supplies, personal hygiene items, bleach, etc.

11. Money. Have cash. (ATMs and credit cards won’t work if power is out.)

12. Contact information. Carry a current list of family phone numbers and e-mail addresses, including someone out of the area who may be easier to reach if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded.

13. Pet supplies. Include food, water, leash, litter box or plastic bags, tags, any medications and vaccination information.

14. Map. Consider marking an evacuation route on it from your local area.

Visit our offices to purchase ready-to-go first aid kits and disaster preparedness kits, or click here to shop online.

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