The Four-Step Preparedness Plan

1. Determine Your Risk

• Contact your local Red Cross chapter: Either go to www.redcross.org and enter your zip code or look up “American Red Cross” in the phone book to find contact information for your local chapter.
• Contact your local emergency management office: Go to www.ready.gov/america and use the menu under “Community and State Information” to find your local contact. Or look for state and county offices in the blue pages (government section) of your local tele­phone book.
• Find hazard maps of your area: These maps are found primarily on the Federal Emergency Manage­ment Agency (FEMA) website, www.fema.gov. Click on the “Disaster Info” tab, then scroll down to the “Maps” section to find:
  • Disaster maps according to region, state, and year
  • Flood maps of your area, tips on how to read them, and related materials

2. Prepare a Family Emergency Plan

Escape Routes

Safe Utility Shutoff

Family Communications

• Pick two meeting places: Pick a place near your home and one outside your neighborhood, just in case your home isn’t accessible.
• Pick an out-of-town contact: A relative or friend who isn’t affected by the disaster can help relay information from one family member to another.
• Fill out a contact card for every family member: Include on the card personal information, telephone numbers, and the meeting places and contacts men­tioned previously. Get sample cards at www.fema.gov.
   
  

Provisions for People with Special Needs

• Hearing-impaired or visually impaired: Look into text radio and other technology and establish a network of people who can give you updates and provide help in the event of a crisis.
• Mobility-impaired: Consider having an extra wheelchair battery or a manual wheelchair in storage, and call your local American Red Cross chapter to make special transportation arrangements to get to a shelter if disaster strikes.
• Non–English-speaking: Look into community groups that can help you plan for and respond to a crisis.
• On a special diet: Make sure to keep food that reflects your dietary needs in your disaster supplies kit (see Disaster Supplies Kit).
• On medication: Keep an extra stash of important medications in your disaster supplies kit.

General Safety Precautions

• Keep a list of any essential medical supplies you use. Include the type, make, and model.
• Register any disabled family members with your local fire department so that authorities know to provide extra assistance.
• If you have a personal care attendant, find out his or her plan of action during disasters.
• Make plans for pets ahead of time, as health regula­tions forbid animals from entering shelters. (For more information, see How to Plan for Your Pets.)
• Be sure that all adult family members know how to administer first aid and CPR and use a fire extinguisher. If not, sign up for classes through the Red Cross.

3. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit

4. Stay Informed

Disaster-Related Weather Terms

• Outlook: Issued daily, this is a forecast of extreme weather that might develop over the next seven days.
• Watch: This indicates that the occurrence of an extreme weather event is possible. If, when, and where it will occur, though, is still undetermined. At this stage, you should continue to listen for updates and prepare to take action.
• Warning: This indicates that an extreme weather event is happening or will begin shortly. A threat to life and property exists, so you need to take protective action.
• Advisory: This is the same as a warning, but pertains to less-serious weather conditions. It means that the weather can cause inconvenience and threaten personal safety or property if not dealt with correctly.