HOW TO BEGIN

• Make A Plan
• Build A Kit
• Pack a “Go Bag”
• Safe Place
• First Aid
• Basic CPR
• CERT Training

WHAT TO DO FOR

• Severe Weather
• Home Fires
• Power Outages
• Winter Storms
• Tornado
• Extreme Cold
• Triple Digit Heat
• Deep Water
• Shaky Ground
• Water Safety
• Personal Health

Make A Family Communications Plan

Download the Family Communications Plan Form.
Download the Emergency Contact Form and Cards.

If a major Countywide emergency ever occurs, it is unlikely that emergency response services can immediately respond to everyone’s needs. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least the first 72 hours.

One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for emergencies is to develop a Family Communication Plan. With a simple click, you will be on your way to taking the first steps to keeping your family safe.

Get in the know! Gather emergency facts and plan for what to do:

• Learn about emergencies, like power outages and tornados, that could occur in the Mid-South by contacting American Red Cross.
• Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.
• Talk about these potential situations in your family meeting and make plans for what to do and how to reach one another should you be separated.
• Determine where to meet nearby in the neighborhood or further out of the community, as well as where to take shelter within your home.
• Decide on pick-up locations for the workplace and school of every family member, and who will do the picking up.
• Practice your evacuation plans, Stop, Drop & Hold and Stop, Drop & Roll, and make sure young children know how and when to call 9-1-1.

Designate an emergency contact person outside the family:

• Choose a friend or relative to serve as an emergency family contact point. Try to pick someone that is far enough away to not be affected by the same emergency. Provide this person with the names and contact information of the people you want to keep informed of your situation. Instruct family members to call this person and tell them where they are. Long-distance phone service is often restored sooner than local service.
• Program the name, phone number and email address of your contact person into each family member's cell phone. Remember to update frequently because cell, school, and job numbers can change throughout the year!
• Write out the name and number of your family contact person and give to each family member to carry in his or her book bag, wallet or purse. This will be very important, since cell phones can be lost or broken, and wireless service can become overloaded from increased traffic. Download your personal response card.

Keep records of emergency contacts and personal information:

• Make a list of key emergency contact numbers and keep the list current.
• Duplicate important documents and keep copies off-site, either in a safety deposit box or with someone you trust. Documents may include: passport, driver's license, social security card, wills, deeds, financial statements, insurance information, marriage license and prescriptions.
• Inventory valuables, in writing and with photographs or video. Keep copies of this information off-site with your other important documents.