Having a plan is important should you find yourself in an emergency situation. You’ll want to know what kinds of disasters or emergencies could occur in your area and come up with plans for each.
To start, discuss the following questions with your family, friends, or household members:
- How will emergency alerts and warnings be received?
- Where can you find shelter?
- What is your evacuation route?
- How will you communicate with your group?
- Are your emergency preparedness kits up to date?
Next, think about the specific needs and responsibilities of your group. How will each person be of assistance? Will some members need assistance from others? Does anyone have specific dietary needs? There are many factors to consider when developing a plan, and those factors may differ depending on the circumstances. In general, here are some factors to consider:
- Age of each member
- Frequently visited locations
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs (prescriptions, equipment)
- Disabilities, accessibility, or functionality needs, as well as the devices and equipment related to them
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and/or religious factors
- Pets or service animals
After you have discussed each of the above, fill out an emergency plan based on various scenarios and conditions (e.g. type of emergency, locations of group members, etc). Be sure to highlight responsibilities of each group member. Once the plan is completed, the final step is to practice enacting the plan. This is to ensure that everyone understands what their responsibilities are, as well as what to do in case of emergency. Take time to evaluate after each practice and adjust the plan as needed based on what you experienced.
For additional resources, check out ready.gov/plan.
If you have been affected by a natural disaster in Oregon or Washington or would like to learn more about how we can help, reach out to us today.
