Chapter 1 – The Family Emergency Plan – Section I

 

Before you go out and buy any survival products you should make sure that there is a family emergency plan in place. It’s amazing how simple this is and yet it’s often overlooked. If you don’t already have an emergency plan in place for all of the members and your family now is the time to get together and make one. I promise it’s very simple to do and it will guarantee that each member of your family knows what to do if a disaster occurs. Here are the steps to take to create a family emergency plan:

 

Step 1: Create An Emergency Communication Plan

 

1. Make a list of your family information. This should include the name of each family member, their date of birth, and any important medical information. Include cell phone numbers so that each member of your family knows the best way.

 

2. Write down the work and school information for each member of the family. This should include the name of the location, the address, phone number, and the evacuation location that each member will travel to in the event that their workplace or school is unsafe. You can find out this information by accessing your employers emergency action plan and your schools evacuation procedures.

 

3. Now list the location that each member of the family will travel to in the event of an emergency. This place should not be located too far from your home and ideally you have one location in your neighborhood and another within your town in the event that your neighborhood is unsafe. If everyone is not together during the emergency you will meet at one of these two places.

 

4. Have an emergency contact. Ideally this person should not live in your area since it will most likely be easier to contact them instead of anyone in an emergency zone. After any event each family member should check in with this contact. List all of their contact information including their email and social networking accounts to keep every line of communication open. In the event that the two places within your town are unsafe your families’ meeting location will become the residence of your out-of-town contact. It’s a lot easier for one person to relay information to the rest of the family and for one contact to let everyone know that you’re safe.

 

5. It’s also important to list everyone’s medical contacts. Include your doctor’s name and phone number, your dentist’s name and phone number, any specialized doctors you might be seeing, and medical contacts for any of your pets.

 

Now that you have listed all of this information you now have a communication plan in place. Make multiple copies to keep in your car, at your office, and in your school binder. You can even make a smaller copy to keep in your purse or wallet. After you have created your emergency communication plan it’s time to complete the rest of your emergency plan.