Tips for Being Prepared

Being prepared for an emergency is as simple as having a kit and having a plan. You should have an emergency kit in your home that contains essentials that you will need in the event of an emergency. There are many different kits available for purchase online in a variety of sizes, or you can make your own very easily. The following information comes from the CDC and Ready.gov.

Your Emergency Kit should include:

• Water (1 gallon per person per day)
• Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly)
• Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds)
• Tools and supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery-powered radio, etc.)
• Sanitation and hygiene items (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.)
• Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets)
• Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few)
• First aid supplies

For a list of other supplies you may want to include, click here.

Emergency Plan

Once you’ve made your emergency kit, you should sit down with your family and come up with an emergency plan. This includes where you would go and who you would call if in case of an emergency such as a flood, earthquake, or other emergencies.

1. Identify the types of emergencies that are possible in your area this may include floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes. If you are unsure contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information.
2. Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case your town evacuates. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away.
3. Identify your emergency contacts. Make a list of local contacts like the police, fire department. Also, identify an out-of-state contact that you can call during an emergency to let the rest of your family know you are ok.
4. Plan your evacuation route. Plan where you would go and multiple routes you would take ahead of time. This is helpful when natural disasters strike and you have to take shelter fast.

You should update your emergency kit annually and practice your plan at least once a year as a family to make sure it still works for you!