Family Plan

Make a Family Emergency Plan

Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

A good first place to start is putting together a plan by discussing these 4 questions with your family, friends, or household to start your emergency plan:

1. How will I receive emergency communication, alerts and warnings?

2. What is my shelter plan?

3.What is my evacuation route and plan?

4.What is my family/household communication plan?

Tips/Suggestions

Identify an out-of town contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.

Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to contact someone you know. Make sure to tell your family and friends that you’ve listed them as emergency contacts.

Teach family members how to use text messaging. Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.

Develop a family plan using ready.org's worksheets.