Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services — water, gas, electricity or telephones — were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.
Families can — and do — cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Follow the steps listed below to create your family’s disaster plan. Knowing what to do is your best protection and YOUR responsibility.
YOUR FAMILY DISASTER PLAN
Four steps to safety
1. Find Out What Could Happen to You
Contact the American Red Cross or your county emergency management agency. Be prepared to take notes:
* Ask what types of disasters are most likely to happen. Request information on how to prepare for each.
* Learn about your community’s warning signals: what they sound like and what you should do when you hear them.
* Ask about animal care after disaster. Animals may not be allowed inside emergency shelters due to health regulations.
* Find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed.
* Find out about the disaster plans at your workplace, your children’s school or day-care center and other places where your family spends time.
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Tags: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE
