1. What type of disaster is most likely to happen in our area?
2. Does everyone know how to prepare for the disaster?
3. Does everyone know what to do if the disaster occurs?
4. What resources or agencies can give us more information about how to plan an appropriate response to the disaster?
5. Does everyone know the safe spots inside (or outside) our home for each type of disaster that could occur?
6. What kind of emergency alert system does our community have?
7. What does the emergency alert sound like?
8. What should we do when we hear the emergency alert?
9. What radio or TV stations broadcast emergency info for our area?
10.
If there are members of the family with special needs (i.e.. someone
with a specifically identified disability, limited English language
proficiency or an elderly person) are they able to receive emergency
alerts or do they need a special tool to assist them?
11. Are there special agencies available to assist the family members with special needs during an emergency?
12. Have we registered for their assistance program?
13. What are the community’s evacuation routes?
14. Have we mapped the routes out (MapQuest, Google Maps, GPS)?
15.
If evacuation is necessary, does each family member know what task they
are responsible for (ie. loading the supplies into the car) and
understand what’s expected of them?
16. Where would we evacuate to?
17. If the roads aren’t passable, what’s our secondary evacuation plan?
18. What is the school’s emergency plan or disaster procedure?
19. For working family members, what’s the emergency plan or disaster procedure at the workplace?
20. Are all emergency telephone numbers posted by the phone?
21. Does everyone in the family know how to call 9-1-1?
22. Does everyone in the family know when to call 9-1-1?
23. Do all cell phone users have an “In Case of Emergency” contact filed under the word ICE in their contacts list, so first responders would know who to call?
24. Do all adults have a Living Will and/or Healthcare Power of Attorney?
25. Do we have adequate insurance—life, auto, home, flood?
26.
In case we’re separated during a sudden emergency, like a house fire,
where is the family meeting place right outside of the house?
27. Where is the family meeting place outside of the neighborhood, in case we can’t return home?
28. Who is the out-of-state contact person for our family?
29. Who is the local contact person for our family?
30. Does everyone know how to contact them?
31. Does everyone know where the main switches to the utilities—gas, electric and water— are located?
32. Does everyone know how to turn the utilities off?
33. Does everyone know when to turn the utilities off?
34. Does each family member know what the smoke detector alarm sounds like?
35. Does everyone know what to do if the smoke detector goes off?
36. Does each family member know what the carbon monoxide detector alarm sounds like?
37. Does everyone know what to do if the carbon monoxide detector goes off?
38. Does each family member know what the burglar alarm sounds like?
39. Does everyone know what to do if the burglar alarm goes off?
40. Have we planned at least 2 escape routes from each room of the house?
41. Is at least one person in the family certified in first aid and CPR?
42. Do we have all family records stored in a water and fire-proof container?
43. Do our pets have tags and microchips for identification purposes?
44. If we have to evacuate, which family member will be responsible for gathering our pets?
45. Is our evacuation spot a pet-friendly place?
46. If not, what will we do with our pets?
47. If we can’t make it home, who will be available to care for or evacuate our pets?
48. What arrangements can be made for evacuating our livestock?
49. If evacuation isn’t possible, will we shelter livestock or turn them outside?
50. When will we gather again to review and/or make changes to this plan?
Go ahead, call a family meeting and get started on your emergency plan.
To read the full article: 50 Questions You Need To Ask