Planning is crucial to emergency preparation and survival. Those who prepare for a natural disaster are the ones most ready to survive. Assistance or rescue may not always be immediately available. You need to be able to take care of yourself, your family and pets, come what may.
Discuss possible disaster scenarios with all family members and determine how your family will respond in each situation. Have practice drills for fire, tornado and earthquake responses.
Plan how your family and friends will contact one another and how you will reunite. Establish an out-of town contact. In an emergency, it is often easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call locally. An out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members, friends and coworkers.
Make sure that every family member memorizes the emergency contact phone numbers and has a supply of coins, a prepaid phone card or a cell phone to make emergency calls. Instruct family members on the use of text messaging. Text messages can often bypass network disruptions when a phone call is unable to get through.
Program all family cell phones with ICE (in case of emergency) numbers. In a disaster or accident, emergency workers are trained to check the victim's cell phone for ICE contacts. Inform your contacts that you have listed them as ICE contacts. List ICE information in all family members' purses, wallets and backpacks.
Monitor and heed the advice of state and federal emergency agencies. Circumstances and the nature of the emergency will impact your decision to evacuate or stay where you are. Emergency preparation should include plans and supplies for either possibility.
Prepare a backpack for each family member that includes clothing, bottled water, nonperishable food and foul weather gear. Be familiar with city and state evacuation routes and designated emergency shelters.
Emergency readiness requires a three-day water supply for each family member. Include water for sanitation as well as personal hydration. Prepare a minimum three-day supply of nonperishable food for each family member. High-protein foods such as nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter and tinned meats are good choices. If you include canned items, don't forget a can opener. If you are a pet owner, remember to provide for the food and water requirements of your pet.
Include emergency signals to alert search and rescue workers; whistle, flashlight and mirror. Prepare a waterproof portable first aid kit. Be sure to include at least a three-day supply of all family required prescriptions. Include a supply of dust masks to filter contaminated air.
Have a practice drill and make sure everyone in the household knows where and how to shut off water and gas utilities. Tape a wrench and pliers next to the shutoff valve so that they are readily available in an emergency.
In addition to a cell phone, include a hand-crank or battery-powered weather radio with extra batteries. Pack a supply of toilet tissue, moist towelettes and plastic bags.
The unexpected can happen without a moment's notice. Advanced planning for a manmade or natural disaster empowers one to act decisively when an emergency happens, respond rationally and survive. Panic causes accidents and chaos.
Gain knowledge and experience by participating in CPR and first aid training. The information gained is precious when in a survival situation. You can learn a lot from even a short introductory course.