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By Melissa Tennen, HealthAtoZ writer
Creating a family plan in case of disaster is smart and it can literally be a matter of life and death. If a hurricane, tornado or earthquake hit, would your family know what to do? What if your family isn't together when something happens? How would you find each other?
That's why it's important to have a plan in place. It may never happen, but you can't bank on that.
- Create the plan with your family and go over it regularly. Everyone will be affected by an emergency, and there may be things you haven't considered.
- Write down the plan and keep it on the fridge. For instance, if there is a tornado, children must know where in the house to go if they cannot escape in time.
- Have necessary supplies - such as flashlights, radios, batteries, first aid kits, emergency supplies and bottled water - in one location in your home, such as the basement. Be sure everyone knows where you keep these. Remember, you may not have running water, electricity or even the ability to get to a store.
- Check your supplies for expiration dates. Some supplies have a shelf life.
- Designate meeting places both outside your home and outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home.
- Practice the plan. Do this several times a year in different types of weather.
- Choose a contact person outside of your area, preferably a relative or friend in another state or region. If your family is separated, each member can call this contact person, who can verify that everyone is safe. Also, long distance calls are more likely to get through than local calls. Give your contact person information for your home, car and health insurance policies - as long as this person is someone you completely trust.
- Create and laminate cards with the emergency contact's information. Insist that everyone in your family carry these cards at all times.
- Provide pre-paid calling cards to your children.
- Make sure your family understands the community's warning signs - such as alarms used for tornados.
- Make plans for the pets. Emergency shelters often don't allow pets because of health concerns. The only exceptions are working animals, like seeing-eye dogs. If you have enough warning, keep your pet at a kennel, vet or relative's house. Have proof of your pet's immunizations for the animal shelter.
- Find out what the community plan is for emergencies, such as where local shelters are located. Plan how you would get there. Always follow the advice of local and state officials when evacuating your home.
- Make sure your child's school has an emergency plan in place, including contact numbers.
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External Sources
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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Federal Emergency Management Agency
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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