Are You Prepared?

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Family

Create a Family Disaster Plan

Your family needs a plan that tells everyone: where to meet if you have to evacuate; who you've identified as an out-of-state "family contact"; how to get emergency information in your community; and how to take care of your family pets.

Tips on preparing your family (pdf)
American Red Cross - information on creating a family disaster plan
Each family member should carry the Family Disaster Plan Card (pdf)

Practice Your Disaster Plan

After you have sat down with your family and written your plan - practice it. Start by having family members meet at a designated spot outside your home - like you would after a fire or after the shaking stops. Know how to respond in the event of any disaster - whether to stay put indoors, or whether to evacuate your neighborhood by car. If your family needs to evacuate, know the proper evacuation procedures and routes as determined by you local OES office.

Build a Disaster Supply Kit For Your Home and Car

If you are stranded in your car or have to be self-sufficient at home until help arrives, you need to have a disaster kit with you.

Emergency Supply Checklist (pdf)

Prepare Your Children

Talk to your kids about what the risks are and what your family will do if disaster strikes.

Tips for Preparing Children (pdf)

Preparedness Culture in Our Schools

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers a wide-range of emergency preparedness resources to help schools create safe and secure environments for their students. Emergency preparedness is an important responsibility shared by all individuals as well as communities, including schools. In order to advance school preparedness nationwide, DHS offers several planning and training resources to help local schools prepare comprehensive all-hazard emergency preparedness plans that are exercised regularly and developed in partnership with their community leaders and first responders.

Additional Resources:

A complete DHS list of emergency preparedness resources for schools may also be found online at the DHS website. In addition, individuals can view a School Preparedness Virtual Town Hall conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education. This 90-minute web cast provides information concerning grant programs and other school preparedness resources available from the Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools as well as the United States Secret Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency, components of the Department of Homeland Security.

A Sample of DHS's Current Programs:

Safe School Initiative. Established in collaboration by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education's Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, the Safe School Initiative (SSI) focuses on prevention and provides useful information about the thinking and behavior of students who commit acts of targeted violence in our nation's schools. One of the key recommendations of the SSI was that schools form multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to assist with identifying, assessing and managing students who may pose a threat of targeted violence. An interactive CD-ROM, titled A Safe School and Threat Assessment Experience: Scenarios Exploring the Findings of the Safe School Initiative, complements the published documents of the Safe School Initiative. The CD is available to law enforcement and school safety personnel across the country and can be ordered via the Department of Education website at http://www.edpubs.org/.
Protecting Our School's Infrastructure. DHS' Office of Infrastructure Protection (OIP) has developed and issued Characteristics and Common Vulnerabilities, Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activity, and Protective Measures reports for public and private schools (K-12) and higher education institutions. With dual benefits in addressing both terrorism and criminal-related security issues, these resources are available to local law enforcement and school officials to help identify site-specific vulnerabilities, anomalies or incidents that may precede a terrorist attack or other kind of harmful incident, and certain measures that can be taken to better protect and create a safer environment. DHS has conducted over 40 Site Assistance Visits at schools to help officials identify potential vulnerabilities as well as Soft Target Awareness Courses that address the security of schools and higher education institutions.
Protecting Against Man-Made or Terrorist Incidents: The DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a series of manuals and publications to help schools address their physical design and layout as part of a mitigation process to protect against terrorist attacks and natural disasters. These materials include: Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods and High Winds; Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks; Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings (K-12): Providing Protection to People and Buildings; and FEMA Mitigation Case Studies Protecting School Children from Tornadoes: State of Kansas School Shelter Initiative.
Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS): Established to help first responders, emergency planners and managers, and homeland security partners prevent, prepare for, and respond to terrorism, this web portal includes valuable best practices and lessons learned information, including a section on school emergency planning. Additional information may be found at https://www.llis.gov.
DHS "Ready" Campaign. A national public service advertising campaign produced by The Advertising Council in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, the Ready Campaign is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. Ready Kids is the newest addition the campaign and provides a family-friendly tool to help parents and teachers educate children, ages 8-12, about emergencies and how they can help their families better prepare. Individuals interested in more information about family, business and community preparedness can visit www.ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.

Disaster Preparedness for Your Animals and Pets

Have an Emergency Pet Care Plan

If you evacuate, take your pet with you. Most emergency shelters do not allow animals, so have a plan for your pet. Safe places to take your pet may include homes of friends or relatives, pet friendly hotels, pet kennels or veterinary facilities. Prepare a list of contact numbers in advance. Contact your local animal control facility for information in your area.
Choose a designated care giver, such as a neighbor, friend or relative to care for your pet in the event that you are unable to do so.
Affix a Rescue Alert Sticker to the front of your residence. The sticker should include the types and number of pets in your house and veterinarian information.
Ensure that your pet wears a collar with a rabies tag at all times. Consult your veterinarian about permanent identification, such as microchipping, or registration with a pet recovery database.

Assemble a Pet Emergency Kit Including:

Leash, harness and / or Pet carrier
1-Week supply of food and water with bowls
Medications and pet first aid kit
Copies of vaccination, medical records and a photo of you and your pet (for identification) in a waterproof container
Plastic bags, disinfectants, paper towels and for cats, a litter box
Blankets, toys and treats

During an Emergency

Keep your pets on hand at the first sign of an emergency. Don't allow your pets to roam loose following a disaster.
Call ahead to make arrangements for boarding your pet outside the danger area.
Keep your pet emergency kit close at hand.

For more detailed information, visit the following resource web sites: