Family Emergency Planning

# Localization note
- Disaster types vary by region: earthquake (West Coast, Japan, Turkey),
  hurricane (Gulf Coast, Caribbean), tornado (Midwest US), flood (global),
  wildfire (Australia, California, Mediterranean), winter storm (northern latitudes),
  typhoon (Southeast Asia), cyclone (Indian Ocean, Australia)
- Swap FEMA/Ready.gov for local emergency management:
  UK: gov.uk/prepare-for-emergencies
  Australia: emergency.vic.gov.au or ses.nsw.gov.au
  Canada: getprepared.gc.ca
  New Zealand: getready.govt.nz
  Japan: bousai.go.jp
- Emergency numbers: 911 (US/Canada), 999 (UK), 000 (Australia), 112 (EU), 119 (Japan)
- Shelter systems and evacuation procedures vary by country and municipality
- Go-bag contents may need adjustment for climate (cold weather gear, sun protection)
- Document types differ (Social Security card in US, NHS number in UK, Medicare card in AU)

FIRE ESCAPE PLAN (30 minutes to create, could save your life)

FOR EVERY ROOM IN YOUR HOME:

1. Identify TWO exits. Usually a door and a window.
   - Can the window actually open? Test it now.
   - If it's a second-floor window, do you need an escape ladder?
     (Kidde 2-story ladder: ~$35. 3-story: ~$60. Keep it near the window.)
   - Can children and elderly household members operate the exits?

2. MEETING POINT: Pick one spot outside your home where everyone goes.
   - A specific tree, mailbox, or neighbor's driveway
   - Far enough from the building to be safe (across the street is good)
   - Every person in the household must know this spot by heart

3. PRACTICE DRILL:
   - Do it twice a year (when you change clocks is a good reminder)
   - Practice at night with lights off -- fires don't wait for daylight
   - Time it. You want everyone out in under 2 minutes.
   - Practice from bedrooms with doors closed (feel the door for heat first)

4. SMOKE DETECTORS:
   - One in every bedroom, one outside every sleeping area, one per floor
   - Test monthly (push the button)
   - Replace batteries annually or get 10-year sealed units
   - Replace the entire unit every 10 years (check the manufacture date on back)

CRITICAL RULES:
- GET OUT. Do not stop for belongings. Do not go back inside for anything.
- Close doors behind you as you leave (slows fire spread dramatically)
- If smoke is thick, crawl. Breathable air is within 12-24 inches of the floor.
- Once out, call 911 from outside. Never from inside a burning building.
- Designate one person to call 911, another to do a headcount at the meeting point.

FAMILY COMMUNICATION PLAN

THE PROBLEM: During a disaster, local cell networks get overloaded.
Calls fail. Texts often still go through (they use less bandwidth).
You need a plan that doesn't depend on one method.

1. OUT-OF-AREA CONTACT:
   Pick someone who lives far away (different state/region).
   This person is your family's central switchboard.
   Everyone calls or texts THIS person to check in.
   Long-distance calls often work when local ones don't.

   Out-of-area contact: ________________
   Phone: ________________
   Email: ________________

2. CONTACT CARD (wallet-sized, for every family member):

   FAMILY EMERGENCY CARD
   Family name: ________________
   Meeting point (home): ________________
   Meeting point (neighborhood): ________________
   Meeting point (out of area): ________________
   Out-of-area contact: ________________  Phone: ________________
   Parent 1: ________________  Phone: ________________
   Parent 2: ________________  Phone: ________________
   School/daycare: ________________  Phone: ________________
   Work address 1: ________________
   Work address 2: ________________
   Doctor: ________________  Phone: ________________
   Nearest hospital: ________________
   Insurance policy #: ________________

   (Print on cardstock. Laminate or tape. One in every wallet/backpack.)

3. THREE MEETING POINTS:
   - At home: [your designated spot -- front yard, mailbox, etc.]
   - In neighborhood: [a landmark everyone knows -- school, church, park]
   - Outside area: [a relative or friend's home in another town]

4. COMMUNICATION METHODS (in order of reliability during emergencies):
   1. Text messages (most reliable when networks are stressed)
   2. Social media check-in features (Facebook Safety Check, etc.)
   3. Phone calls (often fail during peak disaster)
   4. Email (works if you have any internet at all)
   5. Physical meeting at designated points

5. KIDS' PLAN:
   - Children must memorize at least one parent's phone number
   - Know the out-of-area contact's name and number
   - Know what to do at school during an emergency (school has its own plan)
   - Know the meeting points
   - Practice: quiz them monthly until it's automatic

DOCUMENT KIT (1 hour to assemble, irreplaceable value)

PHYSICAL KIT:
Put copies of everything below in a waterproof bag (gallon Ziploc works)
or a fireproof document bag (~$15-25). Store near your go-bag.

DOCUMENTS TO COPY:
[ ] Government-issued IDs (driver's license, passport) -- all household members
[ ] Birth certificates
[ ] Social Security cards
[ ] Insurance policies (home, auto, health, life) -- declarations pages
[ ] Medical records summary (conditions, allergies, blood types)
[ ] Current prescriptions list (medication, dosage, prescribing doctor, pharmacy)
[ ] Mortgage/lease agreement
[ ] Vehicle titles and registration
[ ] Bank account numbers and institution contact info
[ ] Credit card numbers and 1-800 numbers (for reporting lost cards)
[ ] Will/power of attorney/advance directive (if you have them)
[ ] Pet vaccination records and microchip numbers
[ ] Recent tax return (first two pages only)
[ ] Emergency contact list (printed)

DIGITAL BACKUP:
1. Scan or photograph every document above
2. Store in an encrypted cloud folder:
   - Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox -- any works
   - Use a strong unique password
   - Enable two-factor authentication
3. Share access with your spouse/partner and out-of-area contact
4. Update annually (set a calendar reminder)

CASH:
- Keep $200-500 in small bills ($1s, $5s, $10s, $20s) in the document kit
- ATMs don't work when the power is out
- Small bills matter because nobody can make change during a disaster

GO-BAG CHECKLIST (72-hour supply per person)
Budget: $75-150 per adult bag, $50-75 per child bag

Use a sturdy backpack you already own, or buy one ($15-30).

WATER:
[ ] 1 gallon per person per day = 3 gallons (heavy -- 24 lbs)
    Option A: Fill and carry 3 one-gallon jugs
    Option B: Carry 1 gallon + water purification tablets ($8) or
              a LifeStraw filter ($15-20)

FOOD (non-perishable, no-cook, high calorie):
[ ] Protein/granola bars (12 bars = ~2 days of calories)
[ ] Peanut butter + crackers
[ ] Dried fruit and nuts (trail mix)
[ ] Canned food with pop-top lids (tuna, beans, soup)
[ ] Hard candy or glucose tablets (quick energy)
    Replace food every 12 months (set a calendar reminder)

MEDICATIONS:
[ ] 7-day supply of all daily prescriptions (rotate stock monthly)
[ ] Basic first aid kit ($10-15 pre-made, or build your own):
    Bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment,
    pain relievers (ibuprofen, acetaminophen), anti-diarrheal,
    antihistamine, tweezers, scissors
[ ] Any personal medical devices (inhaler, EpiPen, glucose monitor)
[ ] Copies of prescriptions (in document kit)

LIGHT AND POWER:
[ ] Flashlight + extra batteries (headlamp is better -- hands free, ~$10)
[ ] Phone charger: portable battery pack (10,000mAh minimum, ~$15-20)
[ ] Hand-crank or battery radio with NOAA weather bands (~$15-25)

SHELTER AND WARMTH:
[ ] Emergency mylar blankets (2 per person, $1 each)
[ ] Rain poncho ($2-5)
[ ] Change of clothes (seasonal -- warm layers or light breathable)
[ ] Sturdy shoes (if your go-bag is in the bedroom, shoes matter --
    broken glass after earthquake/tornado)

TOOLS:
[ ] Multi-tool or knife
[ ] Duct tape (wrap some around a pencil to save space)
[ ] Whistle (3 blasts = universal distress signal)
[ ] N95 masks (2-3 per person -- wildfire smoke, debris dust)
[ ] Work gloves

PERSONAL:
[ ] Cash (in document kit)
[ ] Copies of key documents (in document kit)
[ ] Sanitation: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, garbage bags, wet wipes
[ ] Comfort item for kids (small toy, stuffed animal)
[ ] Pet supplies if applicable (food, leash, carrier, medications)

WHERE TO STORE IT:
- Near the door you'd exit from (bedroom closet, hall closet, by garage door)
- Not in the garage attic or deep in a storage unit
- Everyone in the household should know where the bags are
- Check and rotate perishable items every 6 months

EVACUATION ROUTES

KNOW THREE WAYS OUT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD:
1. Primary route: ________________ (fastest, most direct)
2. Alternate route: ________________ (different direction)
3. Backup route: ________________ (avoids highways -- back roads)

WHY THREE:
- Roads flood, trees fall, bridges close, traffic jams happen
- If everyone takes the main highway, nobody moves
- Back roads and secondary routes save hours during mass evacuations

DRIVE EACH ROUTE at least once so you know them by feel.
Save them as separate routes in your phone's navigation app.
Also have a paper map in your vehicle (phones die, cell service fails).

DESTINATION PLANNING:
- Where are you going? Have 2-3 options:
  1. Relative/friend's home (direction 1): ________________
  2. Relative/friend's home (direction 2): ________________
  3. Nearest public shelter location: ________________
     (Look this up NOW at ready.gov/shelter or via local emergency management)

VEHICLE KIT (keep in your car year-round):
[ ] Jumper cables
[ ] Tire pressure gauge and fix-a-flat
[ ] Blanket
[ ] Bottled water (1 gallon)
[ ] Non-perishable snacks
[ ] Phone charger (car adapter)
[ ] Flashlight
[ ] Basic first aid kit
[ ] Ice scraper (cold climates)
[ ] Small bag of cat litter or sand (traction on ice)

UTILITY SHUT-OFFS -- KNOW WHERE AND HOW

GAS:
- Location: Usually at the gas meter (outside, ground level)
- How: Use a wrench (12" adjustable wrench -- keep one near the meter)
  to turn the valve 1/4 turn so it's perpendicular to the pipe
- When to shut off: You smell gas, after an earthquake, if you hear
  hissing near gas lines
- IMPORTANT: Once you turn off gas, do NOT turn it back on yourself.
  Call the gas company. A technician must re-light pilot lights.

WATER:
- Location: Main shut-off is usually near the street (underground
  valve box) or where the water line enters your house (basement/crawl space)
- How: Turn the valve clockwise until it stops
- When to shut off: Burst pipe, flooding, if you're evacuating and
  freezing temps are expected (prevents burst pipes)

ELECTRIC:
- Location: Main breaker panel (usually garage, basement, or exterior wall)
- How: Flip the main breaker to OFF
- When to shut off: Flooding (water + electricity = fatal), visible
  damage to wiring, fire department tells you to

LABEL THEM:
- Put a bright tag or label on each shut-off
- Show every adult (and responsible teenager) in the household
- Practice turning them off and on (except gas -- just locate it)

SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING

INFANTS AND TODDLERS:
- Formula/baby food: 7-day supply in go-bag (rotate monthly)
- Diapers, wipes, diaper cream: 7-day supply
- Comfort items: pacifier, favorite blanket, small toy
- Documentation: pediatrician contact, immunization records
- Car seat must be accessible and already installed

ELDERLY FAMILY MEMBERS:
- Medication: 7-day supply with written list of all medications,
  dosages, and prescribing doctors
- Mobility aids: wheelchair, walker, cane -- plan for how to
  transport these during evacuation
- Medical devices: CPAP, oxygen, hearing aids + extra batteries
- Communication: if hearing-impaired, visual alerts for alarms
- Designated helper: assign one person to assist during evacuation
- Neighbor check-in agreement (from neighbor-mutual-aid skill)

DISABILITY-SPECIFIC:
- Power-dependent equipment: have a backup power plan
  (battery backup, generator, or pre-register with your utility
  company for priority restoration -- most utilities offer this)
- Service animals: include in evacuation plan with food, meds, records
- Communication boards or devices: include in go-bag
- Sensory considerations: noise-canceling headphones, familiar
  comfort items for sheltering situations

MEDICATION-DEPENDENT:
- Keep a current medication list in document kit and go-bag
- 7-day emergency supply (ask your pharmacist about emergency refills)
- Know your pharmacy's emergency/disaster policy
- Refrigerated medications: have a small cooler and ice packs ready
- Medical alert bracelet if applicable
- Register with local fire department if oxygen is in the home