We discuss at great length about the importance of creating an emergency preparedness kit for your home, car and office, and what to add to these important kits. And this is for good reason - anything we can do to ensure the survival of our families is essential. We never know when a disaster or an emergency event will hit us. But with all of the emphasis being placed on preparedness kits, sometimes we might forget how important it is to also have an emergency plan in place. Do you and your family have a plan in place should you need to evacuate your home where you live? When developing your family emergency plan, make sure that everyone is on the same page and that you discuss it with the whole family. Be sure to cover as many bases as you can and include vital information with your plan. It is a good idea to cover the following in your plan:

• Write down information about each family member - such as everyone’s name, social security number and birthday.
• Determine three different meeting locations that everyone can get to easily. The first one should be a place to meet in your neighborhood. The second one should be a place to meet that is outside of your immediate neighborhood. The third one is the hardest one, as it is the one that is out of town, but a place that everyone in the family is familiar and comfortable with.
• Compile a list of where everyone in your family spends the majority of their time during a normal week. Write down the name of your children’s schools and any extracurricular activities, where you work, and so on. Be sure to add the addresses and phone numbers of each.
• Make copies or compile the original documents of important information. Write down the driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, and insurance information. If you need to make an insurance claim, having your policy handy will be a big help.
• Write down the contact information of friends or family who are out of state. Talk with these contacts and let them know you’re using them as a check-in contact in the event of a disaster.
• Be sure to include important information for doctor or hospital contacts. List your primary care physician’s name, phone number, and address. Also, include information about the hospital that is closest to you. If you have a pet, you should add your vet’s information as well.

Be sure to check out FEMA.org for a quick and easy way to make an emergency plan of your own. The site has several great forms to fill out and also offers a free set of cards to add your emergency information to and keep in your wallet, glove box, etc. If you are looking for high-quality emergency preparedness food, water, or other items, be sure to have a look around at the products here at More Prepared! Thanks for reading, and happy prepping!