Plan * prepare * practice * protect

If an emergency strikes, it’s important to have a plan of action for you and your family. These three steps will help protect yourself and your loved ones:

1. Develop a Family Communications Plan: When a disaster occurs, your family may not be together. Create a plan on how to contact one another, and review what you would do in different situations. Ask several relatives or friends who live outside your immediate area to be a point of contact in the event of an emergency.
   
2. Create an Emergency Plan: Create a plan that addresses the possibilities of having to shelter-in-place, or having to evacuate your home or even your town. Discuss how you and your family will respond to each possible emergency, and determine what types of supplies you will need.
   
3. Know Emergency Plans at Work and School: For many of us, a good amount of time is spent at either work or school. Talk to your children’s schools and your employer about emergency plans. Familiarizing yourself with these procedures will help protect the health and welfare of yourself and your children.