Make a Plan

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Preparedness for Households

Family and Household Emergency Plan

Disasters Don't Plan Ahead, but You Can

Download and fill out these forms to make your plan today!
  • Family Communications Plan - Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.
  • Household Plan - One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for emergencies is to develop a household disaster plan.
  • Important Documents Checklist - Having access to important documents can make recovery time after a disaster easier to manage.
  • Evacuation Plan - A wide variety of emergencies may cause an evacuation. In some instances you may have a day or two to prepare, while other situations might call for an immediate evacuation. Planning ahead is vital to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely, no matter what the circumstances.

Financial Preparedness

Financial Preparedness - Americans at all income levels have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a disaster or other emergency. In these stressful circumstances, having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for starting the process of recovery quickly and efficiently. Taking the time now to collect and secure these critical records will give you peace of mind and, in the event of an emergency, will ensure that you have the documentation needed to start the recovery process without delay.

Disability, Access, Functional Needs Preparedness

Plan for Disability, Access, and Functional Needs - You many have to take additional steps for friends, neighbors or family members with special needs.

Youth Preparedness

Youth Preparedness - Disasters happen everywhere, and every member of the family can prepare. Preparedness for the future starts today. Whether you’re a kid or teen yourself, a parent or loved one, or work with youth, Ready Kids has tools and information to help before, during and after disasters.

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Pets and Animals

Pets and Animals - Remember, during a disaster what’s good for you is good for your pet, so get them ready today. If you leave your pets behind, they may be lost, injured – or worse. Never leave a pet chained outdoors. 

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Make a Plan for Your Business

Preparedness for Businesses and Organizations

There is much that a business leader can do to prepare his or her organization for the most likely hazards. The Ready Business program helps business leaders make a preparedness plan to get ready for these hazards.

The Ready Business Toolkit series includes hazard-specific versions for earthquake, hurricane, inland flooding, power outage, and severe wind/tornado. Tool kits offer business leaders a step-by-step guide to build preparedness within an organization. 

Preparedness for Communitites

FEMA CERT FULL MASTER h264 HD

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters is built and enhanced.

Quick Tips

  1. Learn about the hazards most likely to affect your community and their appropriate responses.
  2. Take classes in lifesaving skills, such as CPR/AED and first aid, or in emergency response, such as CERT.
  3. Check in with neighbors to see how you can help each other out before and after a storm.
  4. If you have a disability, plan ahead for accessible transportation that you may need for evacuation or getting to a medical clinic. Work with local services, public transportation or paratransit to identify accessible transportation options.

More Community Preparedness Links