Make a Plan

It’s never too late to start making a plan. When an emergency happens, having a plan will help you keep calm and the take the right actions.

Take these Steps to start putting your plan together:

STEP 1 –Start the Conversation

• Talk with your friends, family, and people you live with about emergency preparedness. Together, work through these questions:
• How will we receive emergency communications and alerts?
• What is our shelter plan?
• What is our evacuation plan?
• What is our communication plan?

STEP 2 –Consider You or Your Families Specific Needs

Consider the specific needs of your household and what might be helpful to have on hand to address those needs. Below are some needs that you may want to think about:

• Age
• Mobility
• Languages Spoken
• Pets and/or Service Animals
• Dietary and medical needs
• Cultural and religious needs
• Access and Functional Needs
• Responsibility for assisting others
• Households with infants or school-aged children

STEP 3 –Record Your Plan

Find a way to document your plan. Whether you write it down, type it out, or record it, make sure that your plan is kept safe and accessible.

STEP 4 –Practice Your Plan

Practice makes perfect! Test your plan so that you can identify gaps in your plan. Make the necessary changes before an emergency happens. Test your plan periodically for changes that might effect your plan. Don’t forget that different times of the day and the year might affect your plan!