Action Step 4: The Next Step in Hurricane Preparedness
Our Top 5 Action Steps will help prepare you for hurricanes or other disasters or emergencies. Earlier, we introduced Action Step 1: Know Your Risks, Action Step 2: Assure Food and Water, and Action Step 3: Protect Your Family. Now that you know what risks you face in your area, how to assure food and water before, during, and after an emergency, and how to protect yourself and your family in case of an evacuation or sheltering in place, let's now look at Action Step 4: Communicate With Your Family...Action 1: Know Your Risks Action 2: Assure Safe Water and Food Action 3: Protect Yourself and Your Family ACTION 4: COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FAMILY Action 5: Engage With Your Community
How will I communicate with my family in the event of an emergency or disaster?
- Creating a family communication plan is essential to planning and preparing for a disaster or emergency. A family communication plan is a list of emergency contact numbers and meet-up places that will help you stay in touch with your family members should you become separated when a disaster hits.
- Everyone involved in your family’s care must know this plan. That includes caregivers, aids and day-care facilities.
- Everyone in the family must know the plan of action as well. Have a family meeting and develop the plan together!
Meet-up spots:
- As a family, choose two meet-up spots where you will meet in the event of an emergency or if you become separated. One meet-up spot should be outside of the home in case there is a fire, gas leak or explosion. The second meet-up spot should be a place in the community that your family knows well.
- Compile a list of emergency contact numbers that include the name and number of a work contact person, a school contact person and an out-of-town emergency contact person. If you and your family become separated during an emergency, every member can check in with the out-of-town emergency contact person. Ensure every family member knows the number of the out of area contact person and that this person has the phone numbers of every family member.
- ICE: In Case of Emergency: Everyone in the family who has a cell phone should have an ICE contact—the person who should be called should something happen to you. You should provide this person with a list of names and numbers—the people you want him/her to inform about your situation.
- Develop a backup plan in case cell phones and cordless phones do not work (remember these phones will require electricity to charge). You may want to consider keeping a traditional, corded phone in the home.
- Consider downloading emergency apps for your smart phone. If possible, have an extra power back-up battery for your cell phone.
- See if your city has an emergency alert system and if so, sign up!
Additional Resources
- NCDP’s 5 Steps to Preparedness online tool also provides useful information for communicating with your family during a disaster
- The Children’s Health Fund has more information about creating a family disaster plan.
- FEMA’s Ready.gov website can also help you create a family emergency plan.
