Disasters are unexpected events and result in disruptions to our daily lives. However there are many things we can do to help lessen the impact and help provide for our safety and aid our recovery in the aftermath. The key is to prepare in advance and practice your disaster plan. How do you prepare? Find out what kinds of disasters commonly occur in your area from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross office. Ask for information regarding how to prepare for those disasters. Learn about how warnings are given for your community/area and what you should do when a warning is sounded. Obtain a NOAA weather radio with SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) encoding. Develop a family/household disaster plan. Meet with all family and household members to develop plan(s) based on the types of disaster your area experiences and include plans for home fires. Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster or determine the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room. If you have to evacuate, pick two places to meet: 1) Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire and 2) Outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home. All family or household members must know the address and phone number of this meeting place. After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance, so ask an out-of-state friend or relative to be your family contact. Other family/household members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's phone number. Your plans should include how to take care of your pets. Meet with your neighbors. Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster. Know your neighbors' skills (medical, technical). Consider how you could help neighbors, such as elderly or disabled persons, who have special needs. Make plans for child care in case parents can't get home. Remember to practice and maintain your plan. Here is a check list of things to consider. Preparation checklist. • Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.). • Teach children how and when to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help. • Check if you have adequate insurance coverage. • Show each family member how and when to turn off the water, gas and electricity at the main switches. • Teach each family member how to use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), and show them where it's kept. • Install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms. • Conduct a home hazard hunt. • Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR class. • Stock emergency supplies and assemble a disaster supplies kit. Have enough supplies to sustain your family for three days. The supplies can be stored in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffle bags or covered trash containers. Items you may need in an evacuation. • A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil. • One change of clothing and footwear per person, and one blanket or sleeping bag per person. • A first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications. • Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries. • An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or traveler's checks. • Sanitation supplies. • Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members. • An extra pair of glasses. Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep a smaller disaster kit in the trunk of your car. You can find more complete information at the FEMA website Family Disaster Supplies Kit . Related websites: Emergency Food and Water Supplies American Red Cross - Preparedness Fast Facts

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