Thursday Mar 11, 2010
Being prepared before a disaster strikes is one of the best ways to make your family and home safer. The Western Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps and the public health and planning organizations they represent want you to be prepared.
We hope the information provided here and the downloadable Family Emergency Planning form (PDF format) will be valuable aids to help you be prepared.
Basic Disaster Planning for Families
Household Disaster Plan
- Exits – Make sure everyone knows multiple, safe ways to exit your building
- Meeting Place - Decide where your family will meet in the event you are separated. Have a back up meeting place away from your home. Make sure everyone knows the addresses and telephone numbers of these backup meeting places.
- Communications – Make sure everyone knows the phone number of a long distance friend or relative to act as a contact point. Long distance phone lines often work when local lines are busy. Make sure everyone knows how to use an email contact.
- Special Needs Planning– Your family may include small children, seniors, a physically or
mentally handicapped person, non-English speakers, animals, etc. (Note pets will not be
accepted at most shelters. Keep a Go Bag with leashes, immunization records, toys and
snacks for your pets with a list of shelters or friends that have agreed to keep pets.) - Emergency Plans – Write down your plans. Include how to turn off your water, gas, furnace, and electricity. Make a copy for everyone in your family, including your relatives and friends. Post a copy in your house.
- Community Emergency Plans – Ask to see a copy of your schools’, workplaces’, and
community’s Emergency Plans. Be familiar with the emergency information procedures.