Make a Plan (Part 1)

The best resource we have during an emergency is each other as neighbors. The biggest roadblock we have to being prepared and being able to help each other is feeling overwhelmed.

This monthly newsletter will help you complete small steps to become prepared for an emergency. The challenge for the week may take as little around 5–15 minutes. If you complete the challenge step each week, in two years your home and family will be better prepared for an emergency.

Here are the first few steps for this month. Let’s do this together so our neighborhood will be prepared!

Week #1—Decide to Prepare

Disasters can strike at any time without warning. The more you prepare, the better off you’ll be. Discuss the importance of emergency preparedness with your family and commit to spend a few minutes each week preparing. Talk about what you can accomplish if you spend a little time each week, and how good it will feel to be prepared!

Week #2—Choose your family meeting spot

Talk about where you’ll meet in the case of an emergency.

Pick two meeting places—one right outside your home for when your home isn’t safe and another a little farther away for when our neighborhood isn’t safe.

If you have children in school, talk with them about what they should do if you are not able to get to the school to pick them up. Plan a designated route for them to walk home.

Bonus: Plan a designated route for family members who commute to work, so you’d know where to find them as needed.

Week #3—Create a Family PACE Plan

Determine your family communication PACE plan: Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency communication. How will you communicate if there is no cell service?

Week #4—Emergency Contact Card

Fill out and print the Emergency Contact Card for each family member. Have each family member put the card in their wallet, purse, backpack, etc.

https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/National/m4240194_ECCard.pdf

Extra Credit 1: Fill out the Family Emergency Communication Plan from Ready.gov:

https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/family-emergency-communication-plan.pdf

Extra Credit 2: Sign up for CERT training

- Sandy City: https://sandy.utah.gov/1362/CERT

o $15, meets over several weeks

o Tuesday nights, January 30-February 27, 6-8:30 pm