Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
Step 1: Put a plan together by discussing the questions below with your family, friends or household to start your emergency plan.
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter plan?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
- Check with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and update my emergency plans due to Coronavirus.
- Get masks (for everyone over 2 years old), disinfectants, and check my sheltering plan.
Step 2: Consider specific needs in your household.
As you prepare your plan tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some these factors when developing your plan:
- Different ages of members within your household
- Responsibilities for assisting others
- Locations frequented
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
- Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and religious considerations
- Pets or service animals
- Households with school-aged children
Step 3: Fill out a Family Emergency Plan
Download and fill out a family emergency plan or use it as a guide to create your own.
Family Emergency Communication Plan
Step 4: Practice your plan with your family/household
Associated Content
Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (PDF)
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (English)
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (Spanish): Crear su Plan de Comunicación Familiar Para Emergencias
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (Simplified Chinese): 制订您的家庭紧急通信计划
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (Traditional Chinese): 制訂您的家緊急通信計劃
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (Korean): 가족비상통신계획 세우기
- Create Your Family Emergency Communication Plan (Vietnamese): Tạo Kế Hoạch Liên Lạc Khẩn Cấp Trong Gia Đình Của Của Quý Vị
Know Your Alerts and Warnings (PDF)
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (English)
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (Spanish): Conozca sus Alertas y Advertencias
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (Simplified Chinese): 了解您的警报和警告
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (Traditional Chinese): 瞭解您的警報和警告
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (Korean): 알림 및 경고 통보시스템 알아보기
- Know Your Alerts and Warnings (Vietnamese): Hiểu Biết Báo Động Và Cảnh Báo Của Bạn
12 Ways to Prepare (PDF)
- 12 Ways to Prepare (English)
- 12 Ways to Prepare (Spanish): 12 Maneras de Prepararse
- 12 Ways to Prepare (Simplified Chinese): 12 种准备方法
- 12 Ways to Prepare (Traditional Chinese): 12 種準備方法
- 12 Ways to Prepare (Korean): 12 가지 대비 방법
- 12 Ways to Prepare (Vietnamese): 12 Cách Để Chuẩn Bị
Additional Content
- FEMA Online Ordering Site
- Emergency Plan for Families or (PDF)
- Emergency Plan for Kids or (PDF)
- Emergency Plan for Commuters (PDF)
- Pet Owners (PDF)
- Family Emergency Communication Planning Document (PDF)
- Family Emergency Communication Plan Wallet Cards (PDF)
- Protect Critical Documents and Valuables (PDF)
- Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (PDF)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Disaster Checklist (PDF)
- Make a Plan (Video)
Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Digital PDF)
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (English)
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Spanish): Plan de Comunicación Familiar para Emergencias
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Simplified Chinese): 家庭紧急通信计划
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Traditional Chinese): 家庭緊急通信計劃
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Korean): 가족비상통신계획
- Family Communication Plan Fillable Card (Vietnamese): Kế Hoạch Liên Lạc Khẩn Cấp Trong Gia Đình
Document and Insure Your Property (PDF)
- Document and Insure Your Property (English)
- Document and Insure Your Property (Spanish): Documente y Asegure Su Propiedad
- Document and Insure Your Property (Simplified Chinese): 记录并为您的财产投保
- Document and Insure Your Property (Traditional Chinese): 記錄並為您的財產投保
- Document and Insure Your Property (Korean): 재산 문서화및 보험가입
- Document and Insure Your Property (Vietnamese): Lập Tài Liệu Và Bảo Hiểm Tài Sản Của Quý VỊ
Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (PDF)
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (English)
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (Spanish): Salvaguarde sus Documentos Críticos y Objetos de Valor
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (Simplified Chinese): 保护重要文件和贵重物品当
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (Traditional Chinese): 保護重要文件和貴重物品當
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (Korean): 중대한 문서와귀중품의보호재난이
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables (Vietnamese): Bảo Vệ Tài Liệu Và Hạng Mục Có Giá Trị