Creating an Emergency Preparedness Plan for Your Family

Being prepared in an emergency can be the difference in a life or death situation. Most companies provide a safety manual that outlines safety policies and procedures in the workplace, but often people forget that they also need a plan for emergencies at home. Being prepared for intruders, storms, fires or any other incident that may occur is extremely important to help keep you and your family safe.

It is important to talk to your family to establish a plan for what to do in the event of certain emergencies, especially when there are children in the home. When creating an emergency plan it is important to remember in certain situations you may not have power, so you will need an emergency source for alerts and warnings.

First, you should establish an emergency contact list with friends or family who will be willing to help, as well as emergency services like doctors or veterinarians. You should consider any special dietary, disability or medical needs that may be difficult to fulfill in the event of an emergency like a hurricane. With this step you should also consider all emergency materials you may need including:

-Non-perishable food

-Clothing

-Water

-First Aid kit and medication

-Flashlights/batteries

Second, create an exit strategy. If there is a fire and you are on the second level how are you escaping the house? Consider what you and your family will do if a storm is too powerful and you need to evacuate your home, where will you go next? If you plan to evacuate to a friend or family’s home make sure they are on board with this plan and communicate to them that you are planning to travel to them. Communication is extremely important, especially in dangerous storms. When possible, you want to effectively let people know where you are, or where you are headed, to make sure if something goes wrong they know where to look for you.

Third, practice the plan. It is important that you practice your plan so that you can work through flaws and make sure everyone understands. Doing this allows you to be more calm during an emergency and eliminate any issues that you did not foresee when creating the plan. Keep in mind that the plan may change as you face issues and it is vital that you do not get caught up on little details that may endanger your family.

When it comes to protecting yourself, your family and your property you should always have a plan in mind in the event of an emergency. According to FEMA, only 46% of people who took the 2017 National Household Survey said they took 3 or more actions to prepare for an emergency. Use resources like Ready or SafeHome to help create your own home safety preparedness plan.

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