Where will your family be when disaster strikes? They could be anywhere: at work; at school; or in the car. How will you find each other? Will you know if your children are safe?

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, telephones, cable and internet 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 following steps to create your family’s disaster plan. Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility.

1. Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case.
2. Pick two places to meet: Right outside of your house, by a tree or street light for example, in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire or outside your neighborhood, at a friend’s home for example, in case you can’t return home (everyone must know the address and phone number).
3. Ask an out-of-state friend to be your “family contact”. After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance. All family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact’s phone number.
4. Quiz your kids every six months so they remember what to do.

Make sure you have looked around your home for ways to protect everybody inside in the event of an earthquake.

• Install a fire extinguisher near your kitchen and learn how to use it.
• Check that all tall furniture (book shelves, china cabinets, etc.) are anchored to the wall
• Use “earthquake picture hooks” for all pictures/wall hangings above beds
• Check that your water heater is strapped to the wall.
• Install child locks on the doors of cabinets where you store your best dishes.
• After an earthquake, yours escape doors may be stuck. Buy an inexpensive pry bar, store it in your house and use it to force open the door.

A component of your disaster kit is your Go-bag. Put the following items together in a backpack or another easy to carry container in case you must evacuate quickly. Prepare one Go-bag for each family member and make sure each has an I.D. tag. You may not be at home when an emergency strikes so keep some additional supplies in your car or at work, considering what you would need for your immediate safety.

• Flashlight
• Radio – battery operated
• Batteries
• Whistle
• Dust masks
• Pocket knife
• Emergency cash in small denominations and quarters for phone calls
• Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat
• Local map
• Some water and food
• Permanent marker, paper and tape
• Photos of family members and pets for re-identification purposes
• List of emergency contact phone numbers
• List of allergies to any drug (especially antibiotics) or food
• Copy of health insurance, identification cards, ATM & credit cards, passports, etc.
• Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid or other vital personal items
• Prescription medications
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Extra keys to your house and vehicle
• Trash bags, toilet paper
• Matches
• First aid kit
• Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities.
• Don’t forget to make a Go-bag for your pets.

Pet owners should prepare today and help reduce the amount of stress you and your companion animal will go through when disaster strikes. Human shelters (i.e. those set up by the Red Cross) can not house pets. The following actions will help pet owners deal with disaster:

• Keep ID current. Pets with outdated tags, or no tags cannot be reunited with owners. Personalized tags are available at most pet supply stores.
• Double up on ID: In addition to wearing an ID tag, your pet should be microchipped. This form of ID cannot fall off. You can chip you pet at the Peninsula Human Society and SPCA (650-340-7022), no appointment necessary, for $30.
• Have two current photos of your pet, in case you need to post “lost pet” flyers.
• Familiarize your pet with a carrier or crate, as you may need to use one to transport your pet during an emergency. If you associate the carrier or crate with something positive (i.e. trips to the dog park) your pet will be more comfortable when you need to use it.
• Keep a short list of pet- friendly hotels where you live or where you plan to travel after a disaster. Some chains, including Motel 6 are “pet friendly”
• Have at least the following items stored in a pet “go bag”:
  • Pet carrier/crate
  • One week supply pet food
  • Bowls for food and water
  • Leash
  • Blankets/bedding and towel
  • Litter (for cats)

Keep enough supplies in your home to survive on your own, or shelter in place, for at least three days. If possible, keep these materials in an easily accessible, separate container or special cupboard. One possibility is to store all the emergency supplies in large, black garbage bags in a clean, rain proof garbage can stored outside in a secure location. Check expiration dates of food and update your kits when you change your clock during daylight-savings time. Here is a starter list for your kit. Add to it to meet the special needs of your family.

• One gallon of drinking water per person per day
• Non-perishable, ready-to-eat canned foods and manual can opener
• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• Battery-operated AM/FM radio with extra batteries
• Whistle
• Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach for disinfecting water
• Personal hygiene items: soap, toilet paper, large black garbage bags, feminine hygiene products, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc.
• Child care supplies or other special care items
• Blankets or sleeping bags