Prepare Your Family for Emergencies

When disaster strikes, families are separated and children are often evacuated with their schools. Do you know where your family members will go in the event of an emergency? Do you know how you'll find them?

1. Pick an out-of-town contact. If a terrorist attack or other disaster should hit your local area, it may be impossible to make a local call but a long-distance call will go through. If you and your family are separated, that out of town contact will be able to help you contact them and be sure that they are safe.

2. Make sure that everyone in your family knows the phone number of the out-of-town contact and has a prepaid phone card to make the call when they need to. (Cellular phone repeaters may be down and completely wipe out cellular service in the affected area.) Out-of-Town Contact Name: Address: Phone Number:

3. Neighborhood Meeting Place. Find out where people would be sheltered in an emergency in your neighborhood. Set that location as your neighborhood meeting place. Should there be a terrorist attack or other disaster; make sure that your family members know to try to meet each other there. Neighborhood Meeting Place: Address: Phone Number:

4. Collect your family information. You'll want to write down the following information for each of your family members: Full Name: Date of Birth: Social Security Number: Important Medical Information (allergies, conditions):

5. Note Family Locations. Write down where each family member goes during the course of a day (home, school, work) noting the address and phone number of each location. Then find out the site specific emergency plans for each and note where each family member may be evacuated to in the event of an emergency there. Address: Phone Number: Evacuation Location:

6. Note Important Records. Make sure that you note the following important information that will come in handy in the event of an emergency: Family Doctor (Name/Phone): Pharmacist (Name/Phone): Medical Insurance Provider (Name/Phone/Policy Number): Homeowners/Rental Insurance Provider (Name/Phone/Policy Number): Veterinarian/Kennel (for pets) (Name/Phone):

7. Once you have collected all of this information, be sure to give each family member the information. Printing a small, wallet sized card for each member would be ideal. Self-laminating sheets are inexpensive, easy to use and will insure that your wallet cards are protected and readable when they are needed.

Terrorist attacks and other disasters can separate families and disrupt lives for days, even weeks. Isn't it worth the few minutes necessary to make sure that your family will be safe and know who to contact and where to go in the event of emergency?