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SIMPLE STEPS GUIDE

TO

family PREPAREDNESS

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While the information in this guide and the scenarios in the game are wide-ranging, they do not cover every potential risk, nor do they include everything you should know. This guide should not be relied on as your only source of preparedness information. Knowledge is power, and, when it comes to disaster preparedness, there are a wide variety of sources available to you and your family.

valuable resources

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, WILL YOU BE READY?

Disasters come in many forms. There are natural eventsearthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfiresand man-made eventsaccidents, violence, terrorism, and facility and system failures. The impacts of these events can be widespread, touching communities, states, or entire regions, or they can be personal, touching a single home, family, or individual. Despite the wide scope of potential disaster events that can impact you and your family, there are steps that you can take to elevate your readiness. The family Preparedness Toolkit will start you on the road to readiness.

Some of TheSe inCLuDe:

www.ready.gov
Visit the Ready families and Ready Kids areas of ready.gov

www.fema.gov
Visit the individuals, Kids, and Plan Ahead areas of fema.gov

www.pandemicflu.gov
for current status and information regarding infectious diseases

we have organized this guide into Four sections:

www.redcross.org
Visit the Preparing and Getting Trained area of redcross.org

1. LEARN 2. PLAN 3. PREPARE 4. MAINTAIN

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learn

STEP ONE: LEARN

STEP TWO: PLAN

plan

the first step to preparedness is to identify the scope of your readiness efforts. there are three components to this: risks, resources, and information.

review what you have learned with your Family

Preparedness is a team effort. have a meeting with your family to review what you learned in Step one and to actively involve them in the process. explain potential hazards to your children, and the importance of having a plan and resources to prepare for the unexpected. This is an excellent time to run through one or more scenarios from The Disaster Game family Preparedness edition, which will prompt you and your family to think about the different types of crises you might face, and how to plan for and respond to them.

risksRisks are events that can lead to a disaster. in order to plan effectively, it is critical to develop as complete a list as possible of risks that you and your family could face. These can include severe weather, floods, fires, industrial accidents, and terrorism, as well as events that are not found in a femA brochure but can be personally devastating the breakup of a long-term relationship, an accident or a severe illness, the loss of a job, being victimized by crime, or the death of a family member.
Reach out to the American Red Cross and your local emergency management agency to learn about hazards specific to your area. Scenarios within The family Preparedness Toolkit can help your family brainstorm about the types of events that could impact you. Review your list of risks from time to time, as your situation or environment changes, to ensure that it remains current and complete.

create a communications PlanA good communications plan should

include all contact numbers for all family members, including work and school. it should also have contact information for your familys doctors, your pharmacy, your pets veterinarian, and your insurance provider(s). identify an out-of-town friend or relative as a backup contact point for your family if you are unable to connect directly, and add them to your Communications Plan as well. each member of your family (and your out-of-town contact) should have a copy of the plan. Communication Plan templates are included in the ready.gov materials enclosed with The family Preparedness Toolkit, and can also be downloaded from www.ready.gov or www.redcross.org.

resourcesResources are the people, places, and supplies already available

in your community to assist you and your family in a crisis. These can include community response and evacuation plans, emergency shelters, or contingency plans, procedures, and resources already established at your workplaces, schools, daycare centers, or places of worship. You should also be aware of the types and availability of public transportation in the event that you are unable to drive for any reason. inFormationDiscover how you and your family will obtain information before, during, and after a disaster event. These sources can include emergency Broadcast System announcements, community-based automated notification systems, websites, or status lines, and noAA Weather Radio alert broadcasts. Reach out to local authorities for assistance in identifying information sources.

identiFy rally PointsA Rally Point is a pre-selected spot for your family
to meet in the event of an emergency. identify a Rally Point immediately outside your home, such as a recognizable tree, a streetlight, or a neighbors porch or yard in case you need to evacuate your home suddenly. Select a backup Rally Point farther away in case it is not safe to be in the immediate vicinity of your home. This should be a safe and well lit area, such as a business that is open 24 hours, or a nearby school or park. A third Rally Point should be selected outside your neighborhood in case you cannot get back to your home. its also an excellent habit to create temporary Rally Points when out shopping or while traveling with your family. These should be readily locatable landmarks (an information kiosk at a mall, a coffee shop, or a hotel lobby) where family members can easily regroup in the event you become separated.

always be aware of your community evacuation plan and emergency shelters. knowing this ahead of time helps during any type of disaster.

plan
create evacuation and shelter-in-Place Plansif an emergency creates the need to escape from your home, you and your family must be ready to get out fast. every member of the family needs to know the most efficient routes to the outside and how to navigate them safely day or night.
Draw a floor plan of your home and map at least two escape routes from every room. include doors, windows, stairways, and large furniture, as well as the locations of fire extinguishers, first aid supplies, and your Go Kit (more on this item later). Also mark the location of your primary Rally Point for your family to gather once safely outside and other key features like porches, driveways, outbuildings, and utility shut-off locations. for family members who require assistance to evacuate the home due to age or infirmity, escape routes and plans should account for their special needs. Sometimes, the danger is outside your home. for these situations, identify a shelter-in-place location that can be secured and equipped to protect your family until danger passes. This should be an interior room or closet with no windows on the lowest floor or in the basement of your home. Both plans (evacuation and shelter-in-place) should be reviewed and rehearsed with your family at least twice a year.

Plan For your Petsif at all possible, your pets should be taken with you as your family evacuates your home. however, most shelters and many hotels prohibit pets due to health restrictions. Because of this, your plan should include friends, relatives, veterinarians, kennels, and pet friendly hotels where your family pets could be sheltered in an emergency. threat-sPeciFic Planning activitiesnot every disaster calls for the same type of response. for instance, a fire presents a different set of circumstances to plan for than a pandemic flu virus. Your plan should address these factors and be flexible enough to respond to a variety of situations relevant to your locale. for more information about threat-specific planning activities, consult www.ready.gov, www.fema.gov, and www.redcross.org .
Review the scenarios in The family Preparedness Toolkit to raise your awareness of other risks with unique preparedness requirements, such as the breakup of a long-term relationship, an accident or severe illness, the loss of a job, crime, the death of a family member, and more.

assemble a Plans binderPut together a binder to store all of your

readiness plans and keep it in a predetermined and readily accessible place in your home.

Plan For sPecial circumstancesYour plans should also take into account any circumstances that are unique to your family. These include family members with medical issues or special needs, family pets, and threat-specific planning activities. Plan For any Family members with sPecial needsKeep any
items needed to support family members who have special needs in a designated location, so that they can be found quickly in an emergency. if home-heath care services or mobility assistance are required, backup plans will be necessary to ensure continuity of care, in the absence of their customary service providers. notify your electric service provider of any power-dependent life support equipment in your home, and create contingency plans for alternate power sources or for relocating family members with special needs if circumstances necessitate.

remember your pets during an emergency!

STEP THREE: PREPARE

step one of this guide assisted you in the identification of disaster and other risks to you and your family. in step two, you created plans to address those risks. step three provides guidance on how to prepare for emergencies, including Pre-disaster activity checklists, ready kits for your home, and a go kit for use if you have to evacuate it.

3 home possessions inventoryCreate a record of your personal possessions to assist with the insurance claims process in the event they are damaged or lost. This record should be stored in a secure offsite location (such as a safe deposit box), to ensure it survives a disaster. include photos or video evidence, make, model, and serial numbers (where applicable), reports from professional appraisers for jewelry and rare or collectible items, and copies of sales receipts (for valuable items). 3 insuranceReview your insurance policies to ensure that your coverage is adequate to replace your home and belongings (and cover any additional expenses, such as interim lodging and transportation costs) if disaster strikes. Be aware that flood insurance is not included in a homeowners policy. if you live in a flood zone, the national flood insurance Program offers low cost flood insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information. Learn what other hazards may not be fully covered and how to protect your family against financial loss.

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Pre-disaster activity checklists:

For the home:
3 smoke detectors & fire extinguishersSmoke detectors should be installed and working on every level of your home, and should be appropriate to the needs of your family. A carbon monoxide detector should also be installed. everyone in your family should be aware of the location and use of your fire extinguishers. These should be ABC type units. 3 turning off utility servicesLearn how (and when) to turn off water and electric services to your home, where the emergency shut-off switch to your furnace is, and (if applicable) how to turn off gas service at the main valve. This should be done only if the lines are damaged or leaking, or if you are instructed to do so by local public safety officials. (Please noTe: while it is important to know how to turn off gas service, this should not be done as part of the learning process, since only a qualified professional can turn the service back on.) 3 reducing home-based hazardsinspect your home for items that could cause injury and damage in a disaster. Take steps before a crisis occurs to mitigate these risks. 7 Large, heavy objects should be placed on lower shelves 7 mirrors and picture frames should be hung away from beds 7 Large wall items should be mounted directly to wall studs 7 Large appliances and tall cabinets and bookshelves should be secured with straps or restraints to prevent tipping 7 flammable or combustible items should be kept away from heat sources 7 heating system components should be cleaned and maintained according to manufacturers guidelines 7 Any defects or home damage discovered during your inspection should be repaired immediately

For your Family:

3 vital recordsimportant family records and other documents should be stored in a secure offsite location (such as a safe deposit box), to ensure that they survive a disaster. These can include: 7 Passports 7 Birth Certificates 7 Social Security Cards 7 immunization records 7 marriage certificates 7 financial Records 7 insurance Policies 7 Deeds 7 Wills 3 First aid and cPr trainingevery member of your family should learn basic first aid skills and how to perform Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Your local chapter of the American Red Cross offers regularly scheduled classes and certification programs. Visit www.redcross.org to learn about programs offered in your area. 3 insurancereview your health, life, disability, and longterm care insurance policies to ensure that your family is protected in a crisis. Be aware that your insurance needs can change over time, so these policies should be reviewed on a recurrent basis.

ready kits:
A Ready Kit is a supply of items a family can use to stay safe and comfortable when disaster strikes. in this section well cover water, 3 day and 30 day kits, a 90 to 180 day kit, and a portable go kit that you can take with you if you need to evacuate your home.

3 day kitin a disaster situation, it could take several days for outside

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assistance to reach the disaster area. femA guidelines suggest that an emergency supplies kit should be well stocked enough to sustain you and your family for three days (at a minimum). in addition to the gallon of clean water for each member of your family each day discussed above, the kit should include: 3 nonperishable foods (three day supply, per person) 3 A manual can opener 3 Battery powered radio/television with extra batteries 3 motion charged LeD flashlight or standard LeD flashlight with extra batteries 3 Chemical light sticks 3 first aid kit and first aid manual 3 over the counter pharmacy items 7 Aspirin and non-aspirin pain relievers 7 Allergy, cough, and cold medicines 7 Antacids 7 Vitamins and fiber supplements 3 Personal hygiene items (hand sanitizer, baby wipes, toilet paper, paper towels) 3 Sanitary napkins, pads, and tampons 3 Wooden stick matches (in a watertight container) 3 A whistle 3 Spare clothing and blankets 3 Cooking pots and utensils 3 Paper coffee filters 3 Trash bags 3 Cash (and coins) 3 hand tools, duct tape, and plastic sheeting 3 Pet supplies 3 notebooks and paper, pens, markers, pencils, crayons 3 Playing cards and board games

watermore than any other resource, an adequate supply of clean water is

critical in an emergency. Both femA and the Red Cross recommend that you store at least one gallon of water per person, per day, as part of your disaster supplies. if clean water supplies run low, contaminated water supplies can be purified for use in a variety of ways. Two easy ways to purify water are boiling and disinfection. either of these methods, when combined with distillation, can yield clean and safe water. Before purifying, allow the collected water to sit, thus allowing any suspended particles to settle, or strain it through a paper coffee filter, layers of paper towels, or clean cloth.

boilingThe safest and most reliable water purification method is boiling.

Bring water to a rolling boil for three to five minutes, and then allow it to cool before drinking. The taste of boiled or stored water can be improved by restoring oxygen through pouring it back and forth between two clean containers.

disinFectionWater can also be purified by adding liquid household bleach

(5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite). never use scented, color-safe, or cleaner added bleaches. mix sixteen drops of bleach with each gallon of water, and allow the mixture to stand for thirty minutes. if the purified water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the process and allow it to stand for another fifteen minutes.

distillationWhile boiling or disinfection will kill most waterborne microbes,

combining either method with distillation will remove any microbes that resist these methods. it will also remove heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals that could be present, and do so in about twenty minutes. When boiled water vapor condenses back into water, the collected vapor is free of any impurities. filling a large pot half full with water, and then suspending a cup or bowl from an inverted pot cover (above the water level) will allow water vapor from the boiled contents to drip from the inverted cover to the collection vessel.

3 Any other special items needed by your family 3 Prescription medications 3 Glasses, contacts, and lens solutions 3 hearing aid batteries 3 infant formula, bottles, diapers, and pacifiers Depending on the climate where you live, you may also need to think about staying warm. if applicable, your kit should also include (for each family member): 3 Jackets and/or coats 3 hats, mittens, and scarves 3 Sturdy, practical shoes 3 Long pants and long sleeve shirts 3 Sleeping bags and warm blankets Almost all of these supplies can be purchased or reserved over time at minimal expense. Adding one or two extra items to your grocery list each week, storing your old clothes when you purchase new clothing, and checking outlet and thrift stores for inexpensive items are all effective ways to build your ready kit.

insuranceLife and disability insurance products can provide a financial

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cushion for your family if you or your spouse suffers a serious illness, injury, or death. many employers offer these benefits at reduced or no cost to their employees. Review your companys benefits plan and check with your personal insurance providers to look for the best coverage options to protect your family.

automated savingsmany employers now offer automated deposit of payroll

checks to their employees personal checking or savings accounts. Typically, you can have these deposits split among multiple accounts. having even a few dollars deposited directly into savings each pay period is an easy way to build up a savings cushion. When you receive a pay increase, modifying your savings account deposit by a portion of the increase enables you to grow your savings faster and still see a larger paycheck.

go kitA Go Kit is simply a Three Day Kit packaged to travel with you in the
event you need to evacuate your home. it can be your actual Three Day Kit, kept in easy reach near an exit or stored in your vehicle (or split among multiple vehicles, if you have more than one), or it can be a stand-alone kit comprised of compact and easy to pack items such as granola or energy bars and bottled water. Your Go Kit should also include travel-specific items, such as: 3 A distress flag and road flares 3 A can of fix-a-flat, jumper cables, and a gas can 3 Seasonal items: ice scraper/snow brush, shovel, winter blanket, sand, tire chains, sunscreen (SPf 15+), umbrella, etc.

30 day kitSome disaster events, such as a pandemic, require the

establishment of a longer term kit to sustain your family for several weeks. The key additions needed to turn a three day kit into a thirty day kit are food and water, medications, and personal hygiene items. Again, these items can be built up over time at minimal expense.

90180 day kitThis kit is unlike any other kits in this section, because it
deals more with financial resources needed to sustain your family in the event of a job loss, a serious illness, the breakup of a long-term relationship, or the death of a family member. financial advisors recommend having three to six months of liquid assets to support the financial needs of your family in these types of crises. on the face of it, in todays economic times, this can seem like an unreachable goal. There are, however, fairly pain-free ways to accomplish this over time.

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nutritious Food choices For your ready kits
3 Canned Baked Beans 3 Dry Cereal 3 Cereal, fruit, and Granola Bars 3 Whole Wheat Crackers 3 Canned Tuna 3 Canned meats 3 Canned fruit 3 Dried fruit 3 Applesauce 3 fruit Juice Drink Pouches 3 Shelf Stable milk (evaporated Low fat or fat fee, or Powdered) 3 Canned Vegetables 3 nuts 3 Peanut Butter 3 Preserves and Jams

STEP FOUR: MAINTAIN

mainta in

rehearseAt least twice annually, review your plan with your family for
currency and completeness. Rehearse your evacuation, shelter in place, and communication plans. Walk through one or more scenarios in The family Preparedness Toolkit and discuss the impacts to your family, the responses your plan affords, and any changes or additions to your plan that can elevate your readiness.

rotating suPPliesAs time

goes by, items in your Ready Kits can become outdated or spoiled. To prevent this, rotate items from your kit as you purchase new ones, use older items before they expire and place the new items in your kit. make note of expiration dates and label or mark rotation dates on each item to ensure that they are used before they expire.

uPdateupdate your plans with any added or changed information resulting

from your rehearsals. Check www.ready.gov, www.pandemicflu.gov, and www.redcross.org for any new or updated threat and preparedness information. Print updated copies of your communications plan for each member of your family and your out-of-town contact. update your plans binder with current copies of your readiness plans.

restockinventory the items in your Ready Kits, replace any outdated or spoiled items, and refresh your water stores every six months. Remember to rotate staple items out on a regular basis as you do your household shopping to reduce or eliminate waste due to your Ready Kit supplies becoming outdated. checkCheck the batteries and test all of the smoke detectors in your home.
Review the instructions on your fire extinguishers and follow the manufacturers guidelines to recharge or replace as needed.

try to keep an adequate emergency Fund, plus cash for sudden disasters.

A disaster can strike at any time, BE PREPARED for what life throws at you.
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