This document provides tips for creating a personal disaster preparedness plan, including establishing a family communications plan, creating evacuation routes from your home, considering the unique needs of all family members, including pets in the plan, using technology to help during a disaster, learning how to shut off utilities, being financially prepared, and testing your plan with your family. The plan should address how to safely evacuate, access important records, and get back to normal activities after a disaster strikes.

2. Disaster planning is not limited to
businesses.

3. Disasters can happen
anywhere…and at any time.

4. Individuals and families also need
to plan ahead to be prepared when
disaster strikes.

5. How will you get everyone out of
the house safely?

6. How will you access important
family records?

7. How will you get back up on your
feet and return to work?

8. Your personal disaster preparedness
planning should address these
concerns and more.

9. Here are some helpful tips to
consider when preparing your
emergency plan:

10. 1. Family Communications Plan

11. How will you and your family get
in touch with each other during an
emergency?

12. Cell phones? Meeting points?

13. Do your children know all essential
numbers?

14. FEMA has a template for parents to
follow when creating a family
communications plan.

15. 2. Evacuation Plan

16. How will your family evacuate
your home?

17. Where will you go?

18. What are the fastest escape routes?

19. Identify multiple escape routes and
make sure your kids understand
them.

20. You could create a drawing of your
home and mark the escape routes,
then post the drawing in your
child’s room.

21. Consider purchasing escape ladders
for second story windows.

22. Establish a place for your family to
meet after evacuating.

23. 3. Address The Needs Of All
Family Members

24. Keep in mind each family
member’s needs.

25. Individuals with access and
functional needs, seniors, infants
& young children – have you
considered their unique needs?

26. 4. Include Pets In Your Plans

27. Too often pets are lost or
abandoned during disasters.

28. But you can avoid this by including
your family’s pets as part of your
emergency planning.

29. Visit Ready.gov and the Insurance
Information Institute for additional
tips on how to protect your
family’s pets.

30. 5. Use Technology

31. Technology can go a long way in
helping you and your loved ones
during a disaster.

32. Visit Ready.gov for more
information on how to maximize
technology before, during, and
after a disaster strikes.

33. 6. Shut Off Utilities

34. Make sure every member of your
family knows how to safely shut
off utilities in your home - natural
gas, water, electricity.

35. 7. Financial Preparedness

36. Being financially prepared for a
disaster is an often overlooked
detail.

37. Do you have adequate insurance?

38. Do you have a plan for how to
access important account
information or records during or
after a disaster?

39. FEMA has an Emergency Financial
First Aid Kit that may be helpful
in your personal planning.

40. 8. Test Your Plan!

41. Having a plan is important, but it is
crucial to practice your plan to
ensure it really works.

42. Gather your family to review your
emergency plan and practice it!

43. Make the time and get your family
#DisasterReady.

44. Check out our free
questionnaire: 12 Personal
Insurance Coverage Questions
You Should Consider