Preparedness starts with a plan.

1. Know your local risks

Look up your city or county emergency management office, flood maps, evacuation zones, and seasonal warnings. Consider work, school, and regular travel as well as home. Start with the two hazards most likely to interrupt your household.

2. Make a contact and meeting plan

Choose a nearby meeting point and another outside your neighborhood. Pick an out-of-area contact, write numbers on paper, and agree who collects children or assists a dependent if the usual caregiver is unavailable.

3. Receive official alerts

Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts, enroll in local emergency notifications, and learn which local radio stations provide emergency information. Test your weather radio reception where you intend to use it. Social media can help locate updates, but confirm instructions with the responsible agency.

4. Prioritize supplies

Begin with water, familiar no-cook food, a light, paper contacts, and everyday health needs. Inventory what you own before shopping. Choose a realistic starting duration, then expand gradually. Keep an evacuation bag separate from heavier stay-at-home supplies.

5. Plan to stay and to leave

Identify two routes, accessible transport, a destination, and a backup. Ask how local shelters support disabilities and pets. At home, identify safe rooms appropriate to local hazards. Supplies prepared in advance do not override an evacuation order or incident-specific shelter instruction.

6. Include everyone

Use age-appropriate tasks for children. Plan pet carriers and food. Arrange a support network for people living alone or needing assistance. Ask clinicians, pharmacists, and device suppliers about medication access, refrigeration, transport, and backup power. Do not change treatment based on a calculator.

7. Practice and maintain

Walk your routes, carry your bag, and rehearse a brief family check-in. Review the plan every six months and after a move or change in care needs. Rotate food and water according to source and packaging guidance; check batteries, contact numbers, and expiring supplies.

Choose your household path