Health and Human Sciences  Featured Tips

 Family Preparedness Education

With Spring comes April Showers, flooding, and even some thunderstorms. With the weather so unpredictable, you never know what type of disaster may unexpectedly occur. Does your family have an emergency preparedness plan or an emergency meeting place should disaster hit?  These three tips could help save your family during fast acting emergency situations.

• TIP #1: GET A KIT

  A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

  Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.

  You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.

  Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.

• TIP #2:  MAKE A PLAN

• Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. 

  Ready.gov has made it simple for you to make a family emergency plan. Download the Family Emergency Plan (FEP) and fill out the sections before printing it or emailing it to your family and friends.

  You should also inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school, faith organizations, sports events and commuting. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to community leaders, your colleagues, neighbors and members of faith or civic organizations about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance.

• TIP #3:  BE INFORMED

• Before a disaster, learn how you will know there is an impending hazardous event. Familiarize yourself with the signs of events that come without warning and know the local advance alerts and warnings and how you will receive them. Knowing about the local emergency plans for shelter and evacuation and local emergency contacts will help you develop your household plan and will also aid you during a crisis.

  Learning what to do in different situations and developing and customizing your plans for your local hazards, the locations frequented by members of your household and the specific needs of household members including animals will help you reduce the impact of disasters and may save lives and prevent injuries.

From Health and Wellness to Family Financial Management, the Health and Human Sciences division at Purdue Extension can provide you with programs that will improve the quality of your life and your family's life.