Disaster Plan
What You Can Do To Prepare
Establish a communications plan
Choose an out of town contact your family or household will call or email to
check on each other should a disaster occur. Your contact should live far enough
away that he or she would unlikely be affected by the same event. Let
that person know that he or she is the contact. Make sure everyone in your family
or household has that person’s contact information. Leave the contact
numbers at your home, at work and at your children’s schools. Many times
phone lines don’t work during a disaster, but email can sometimes get
through when calls don’t.
Establish a meeting place
Having a predetermined meeting place away from your home will save time and
minimize confusion should your home be affected or your neighborhood evacuated.
Choose one meeting place at home or close to your house and another outside
your neighborhood. Potential places to meet away from your home are a place
of worship, a library or a school. A place that is common to all members of
the family is important. Make sure everyone knows both meeting places.
Practice evacuation routes
Know where you will go if asked to evacuate your house or your neighborhood.
Practice a few different routes, each leaving the neighborhood in a different
direction. Remember in times of emergency, the route you take everyday might
be blocked, so it is important to consider several options. The Boston Police
have established evacuation routes for emergencies. These routes would be well
marked if an emergency required their use.
Check on the school emergency plan of any school age children you have
Find out if your children’s school will keep students there until a parent
or designated adult can pick them up or send them home on their own. Be sure
that the school has updated information about how to reach parents and responsible
caregivers to arrange for pickup. Ask what type of authorization the school
may require to release a child to someone you designate, if you are not able
to pick up your child. During times of emergency the school telephones may be
overwhelmed with calls.
Don’t forget about your pets
Most public shelters do not allow animals; so make arrangements for pets to
stay with a friend or family member. Like humans, pets should have a survival
kit. Included in the kit should be: water, food, a leash/harness/muzzle, copy
of vaccinations, any medicine, can opener, feeding schedule, a travel cage.
If you cannot find a friend to take your pet in, call your local kennel. Also
carry with you a color picture of your pet in order to search for your pet in
case it gets lost.
After you establish your emergency plan
Make sure that the plan is accessible to all members of your household especially
senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Make sure everyone has a copy of the plan in his or her wallet or backpack. Include
the family’s emergency contact phone number and email address. Also include
the address of the second meeting place and it’s phone number.
Practice the plan.
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If disaster strikes,
remember:
- Remain
calm and be patient.
- Follow the advice
of local emergency officials.
- Stay informed.
Listen to your radio or television for news and instructions of emergency
officials.
- If the disaster
occurs near you, check for injuries. Give first aid and get help for
seriously injured people. If the disaster occurs near your home while
you are there, check for damage using a flashlight. Do not light matches
or candles or turn on electrical switches. Check for fires, fire hazards
and other household hazards. Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water
heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve,
open windows, and get everyone outside quickly to a safe location.
- Confine or secure
your pets.
- Call your family
contact—do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening
emergency.
- Check on your neighbors,
especially those who are elderly or disabled.
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For more information on putting together a disaster plan, request a copy of
the brochure titled Your Family Disaster Plan (A4466) from
your local American Red Cross chapter or visit the Red
Cross website to download the material yourself. You may also want to request
or download a copy of Before Disaster Strikes . . . How to Make Sure
You’re Financially Prepared (A5075) for specific information
on what you can do now to protect your assets.
This information comes from the “Family Disaster Plan” developed
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross.
For more info contact:
Public Health Preparedness
(617) 534-2333 (phone)
(617) 534- (fax)
php@bphc.org
1010 Massachusetts Ave - 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02118
