Family Emergency Plan

Disaster can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services like gas, water, electricity or telephones were cut off? Local police, firefighters and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. It may be necessary for you and your family to be on your own for up to 3 days.

Developing a disaster plan and discussing it with your family or household is the best way to prepare. Make sure to review and practice the plan at least every 6 months along with checking your disaster supply kit and replacing water supplies. Meet with household members to:

• Discuss how to respond to each disaster that could occur.
• Discuss what to do about power outages and personal injuries.
• Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at main switches.
• Teach children how and when to call 911
• Instruct household members to turn on the radio for emergency information.
• Pick one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to call if separated by disaster (it is often easier to call out-of-state than within the affected area).
• Teach children how to make long distance telephone calls.

Create an emergency communications plan. Choose an out-of-town contact that each member of your family or household will call or e-mail to check on each other should a disaster occur. Your selected contact should live far enough away that they would be unlikely to be directly affected by the same event, and they should know they are the chosen contact. Printable cards to be completed and given to each family member can be found on the Emergency Communications Plan page.

Know school Information and policies. Howard County schools have plans in place that anticipate many kinds of emergencies. These plans are continuously being upgraded. For information on emergency notification including details on the Emergency Alert System, protective actions, parents' responsibilities during an emergency and contact information, visit the School Information section of this site.

Assemble a disaster supplies kit. If you need to evacuate your home or are asked to "shelter in place," having some essential supplies on hand will make you and your family more comfortable. Prepare a disaster supplies kit in an easy-to-carry container such as a duffel bag, backpack or small plastic trash can. A detailed list and more information is available at on the Disaster Supplies Kit page.

Plan for your pets. Be sure to make plans for your pets, since pets are not permitted in shelters and some hotels will not accept them. Make sure to have a place for them to relieve themselves indoors. Have a carrier ready for smaller animals. For more information, see the Pets section on the American Red Cross website. Additional information can be found at Kind Planet - emergency and disaster preparedness for those with large and small companion animals.