We make plans for almost anything. In a typical day, you might plan for how you’ll make your morning commute, what you will have for lunch, how you will accomplish projects at work, and what meal you will have upon returning home.
As the New Year approaches, we’re encouraging Americans to take three simple steps to get prepared before a disaster strikes: get a kit, make a plan, and be informed. Planning for a potential emergency can ease the stress of an emergency situation, and can ultimately save your life, or the life of someone you love.
We hope you will take this opportunity to Resolve to be Ready in 2011 and create your emergency plan today. Here are a few tips from Ready.gov, FEMA’s preparedness website, to get you started:
- Write down your family’s plan, and store it in a safe place (preferably with your emergency kit).
- Decide on a safe meeting place in your home, in your community, and in a nearby town. In case your home or community is damaged, family members will know where to go.
- Review (and practice!) your family emergency plan at least two times per year.
- Decide how family members will communicate after a disaster. Text messaging often works despite phone network disruptions, so teach family members how to use text messaging.
- Subscribe to alert services in your area. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. Sign up by visiting your local Office of Emergency Management web site.
What creative ways does your family, or workplace, practice its emergency plan? Leave a comment and start the discussion.
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