Make a Family Plan
Your family’s emergency plan will be unique to your family.
Who lives with you, what they need and where you live will shape your plan. Talk together with your family when you’re making your plan or reviewing it.
Remember, making a family emergency plan is not a scary thing – it’s a regular part of life, like buying car insurance or going to the doctor.
Check your family plan the same as other routine maintenance (like cleaning the gutters or getting an oil change) – update phone numbers, check the pantry and charge your backup power sources.
To get your plan started, consider the following questions.
- What hazards does your home face? Do you live on the coast, where a tsunami might hit? Do you live in a leeward area where wildfires are common? Do you live in a lava flow zone? Are you in a windward area where flash flooding happens?
- How is your family getting emergency alerts and warnings? Are you signed up for local cell phone alerts? Do you have a radio for power outages? Do you have a neighborhood communication network?
- Can you shelter in place during a disaster? Is your home strong enough? Do you have emergency food and supplies?
- If you have to evacuate, where will you go? How will you get there? Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
- How will you communicate with your family members? Does everyone know how to use a cell phone? Does everyone have important contact information? Think about how you will communicate with no power.
- Do you have emergency Go Bags for the people in your home? What will you use if someone is at work or at school? Do your cars have emergency kits?
- Does anyone have physical or mental challenges? Can they participate in your family plan?
- Do your neighbors and relatives know your plan? Are there ways you can help each other in an emergency?
- Do you have a plan for your pets?
Use HIEMA’s family emergency plan to make sure you have all of these things addressed. You can find even more family planning resources at www.ready.gov/plan and check out the tools below.
