1. Decide to be Prepared
  2. Identify Real Threats &
    Hazards
  3. Improve Your Disaster
    Personality
  4. Complete Your Emergency Communications Plan
  5. Complete Your Emergency
    Contact Cards
  6. Assign Emergency
    Responsibilities
  7. Develop a House Fire
    Evacuation Plan
  8. Put an Emergency Supply
    Kit in Every Vehicle
  9. Protect Valuable Papers
    and Records
  10. Establish a Neighborhood
    Support Network
  11. Identify Storage Spaces for Emergency Supplies
  12. Collect & Store Emergency
    Supplies
  13. Prepare a Disaster
    Recovery Plan
  14. Create a Family
    Indentification File
  15. Establish a Solid
    Emergency Financial
    Plan
  16. Train to Survive
Step 4.
Complete your Emergency Communication Plan

Put it together now. It may save your life later. It’s that important. Put it down in black and white because electronic records may not be accessible. Don’t rely on your memory.

  • Our family: Identify each family member by full name with as much contact information as possible.
  • Support network: This is a good reason to get to know your neighbors. Develop your list and include nearby friends and relatives.
  • Out of area contacts: You may need to evacuate to another town or out of state. Inform these contacts now of your emergency plans.
  • Emergency meeting locations: Inform your friends and relatives so they will more likely know where to find you following a disaster.
  • License tag numbers: Include make, model and color of each vehicle.
  • Other important contacts: Make your own list and attach it to your plan. If in doubt, include it.
  • Family health information: Include blood type, allergies, past/current conditions, list medications, dosages, and prescribing doctor.
  • Special needs of family members and pets: In an emergency, you may be separated and need to rely upon others. Write down clear, concise instructions for their care.

Click Here for a pdf document you can print.
Click Here for a Word document you can customize, save, and print.

Survival tip: Text First. Talk Second. Texting takes far less bandwidth than voice. During a widespread emergency, texting may be available when a digital voice call is not. Practice with family members by sending the text message, “RUOK.” Ask them to reply with “IMOK.”