1. Decide how you'll communicate
Phone networks often fail or jam during disasters. Choose an out-of-area contact everyone can text, since long-distance lines sometimes work when local ones don't. Make sure every family member has the number written down, not just saved in a phone.
2. Pick two meeting places
- One near your home for sudden events like a house fire
- One outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home
- Make sure kids and caregivers know both locations
3. Map your evacuation routes
Identify at least two ways out of your neighborhood in case roads are blocked. Practice driving them. If you have mobility needs, plan transportation in advance rather than assuming help will arrive.
4. Assign roles
- Who grabs the emergency kit and important documents
- Who is responsible for children, elderly relatives, or pets
- Who shuts off utilities if instructed to
5. Plan for everyone's needs
Account for infants, seniors, people with disabilities, and pets. Include medications, mobility aids, and comfort items. A plan that ignores a family member's needs isn't a plan.
6. Practice and review
Review the plan twice a year and after any major life change — a move, a new baby, a new pet. Prepit's scenario simulator lets you stress-test your plan against real events like storms and outages so you find the gaps before they matter.