Get Ready, Take Action & Recover

If you need to evacuate your house, determine a process for evacuating quickly. Practice the plan at least two times each year. Here are some things to consider when developing your evacuation plan:

• What are the items from your house you would need to collect during an emergency pre-evacuation or evacuation?
• Store copies of your vital records and lists, photos or videos of valuable items in a safety deposit box. Include updated insurance policies.
• What is your emergency plan for your pets and livestock?
• Designate a “safety zone.” What are the different routes out of the neighborhood to get to the “safety zone?” What if the planned evacuation routes are blocked by the emergency?
• Know where the nearest fire and police stations are located.
• Learn how to shut off your water, gas and electricity. Know where to find shut-off valves and switches.
• Keep a small amount of cash available. If the power is out, ATM machines won't work.
• Make copies of your vital records and store them in a safe deposit box in another city or state. Store the originals safely. Keep photos and videotapes of your home and valuables in your safe deposit box.
• Make sure everyone knows where everything is located and who would be responsible for getting what. Then — practice!

• In Jefferson County, CodeRED emergency notifications [external link] allows the Sheriff's Office to warn citizens of danger. With CodeRED [external link], the Sheriff's Office can call, text or email multiple individuals and businesses to warn of dangerous suspects, flood, fire or chemical spills. Sign up for CodeRED [external link].
• Smart911 [external link] is a free service with which users create a safety profile by entering vital data they want made available about themselves, their family, their residence and even their pets. Data given can include photos, and information regarding medical conditions, allergies, disabilities and/or special needs, home addresses of cell phone callers and floor plans to name a few. Smart911 [external link]  delivers this information automatically to dispatchers, who then enable responders to be more successful with access to critical health and logistical information before arriving at the scene of an emergency.

Your neighbors can be your best support system. In an emergency, first-responder agencies may be overwhelmed and may need help from trained volunteers. There are many ways you can get involved and support your community. Talk to your neighbors about planning for emergencies and how you can help neighbors who may need assistance, such as the elderly, people with infants or those with special health care needs. Talk with them about how you can work together — who might need help evacuating? Does anyone have health issues to consider?

• Learn about different ways to get involved: FEMA.gov Community Emergency Response Teams [external link]
• Jefferson County Public Health Volunteer

Government agencies will respond to community disasters, but citizens may be on their own for hours, even days, after disaster strikes. You should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least three days. In some emergencies, such as an influenza pandemic, you may need to prepare for a week or months. 

Some examples of emergency kit supplies include:

• Dry or canned food and drinking water for each person
• Can opener
• First aid supplies and first aid book
• Copies of important documents such as birth certificates, licenses and insurance policies
• "Special needs" items for family members such as infant formula, eyeglasses and medications
• A change of clothing
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Battery powered radio or television
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Whistle
• Waterproof matches
• Toys, books, puzzles, games
• Extra house keys and car keys
• List of contact names and phone numbers
• Food, water and supplies for pets

Additional items you can store at home for use during an emergency:

Cooking Supplies

• Barbecue, camp stove
• Fuel for cooking, such as charcoal or camp stove fuel
• Plastic knives, forks, spoons
• Paper plates and cups
• Paper towels
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Sanitation Supplies

• Large plastic trash bags for trash, water protection
• Large trash cans
• Bar soap and liquid detergent
• Shampoo
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes
• Feminine and infant supplies
• Toilet paper
• Household bleach with no additives, and eyedropper (for purifying drinking water)
• Newspaper — to wrap garbage and waste

Comfort

• Sturdy shoes
• Gloves for clearing debris
• Tent

Tools

• Ax, shovel, broom
• Crescent wrench for turning off gas
• Screwdriver, pliers, hammer
• Coil of one-half inch rope
• Plastic tape and sheeting
• Knife or razor blades
• Garden hose for siphoning and fire fighting

Additional References

• Build a Kit at Ready.gov [external link]
• Family Supply List at Ready.gov, here is the link to the printable list (PDF) [external link]
• What do you need in a survival kit from the Red Cross [external link]

Put together a 72-hour emergency “go-bag” supply kit. Include water, food, protective clothing, including sturdy shoes, cotton or wool clothing, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, gloves, a handkerchief, medications, phone charger and travel toiletries. Store in easy-to-carry packs. Have children help put together go-bags (they may include some toys or a stuffed animal). Other suggestions on what to include in your kit can be found at FEMA.gov. Be sure to include copies of personal documents and contact lists, necessary medications and extra cash. We know it can get expensive, so focus on the necessities first.

If you have special physical or medical needs, be sure to have an extra supply of medication and supplies to take with you. People with heart and lung diseases must be especially careful around wood smoke. Discuss your emergency plans with your medical provider.

If you are separated from your loved ones when disaster strikes, you will need a way to find out where they are. The stress of the event may make it difficult to remember even routine information, like phone numbers. Every household member should have an out-of-area contact card in a wallet, purse or backpack at all times.

• Ask an out-of-area family member or friend to be your contact person. This person should live at least 100 miles away from you, so they aren’t involved in the same emergency. It may be difficult to make local calls because large numbers of people may be using the phone lines at the same time. However, you should be able to make long distance calls.
• Make small cards with the contact person’s name and phone number for all family members to carry in their wallets, purses or backpacks.
• Keep a phone that does not require electricity. Cordless phones use electricity—if the power is out, they will not work!

Contacting Loved Ones After a Disaster

• All household members should call the out-of-area contact. The contact person will collect information about each family member, where they are and how to contact them.
• You may be able to send text messages to your loved ones on your cell phone. Keep messages short.
• Make sure the handsets to your phones are hung up — during emergency events handsets can get knocked off their bases. When large numbers of phones are off-the-hook, local phone service may stop working correctly.
• You should be able to use a pay phone if your home phone does not work. Pay phones are part of the emergency services network, and are a priority to be restored to service. Find out where pay phones are in your area and teach your kids how to use one. Tape the coins needed to use a pay phone to your out-of-area contact card.