FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) established National Emergency Preparedness Month in September of 2004. Every September, the agency focuses on helping families, business, and communities prepare for emergencies of all kinds.

In order to help you focus on emergency preparedness, and keeping your family safe, Child Safety Pledge has compiled some top tips for you this National Emergency Preparedness Month.

Know Your Risks

If you live in the desert Southwest, chances are you don’t have to worry about a snowstorm. Know the risks in the area in which you live. If you are traveling, spend time learning about the potential risks that might arise while you are on vacation or in a new place.

Make a Plan

Have you signed up for important alerts in your area? These should include fire, police, weather, and news alerts and might be through text or social media.
Your plan should include important phone numbers (use our resource for a guide) that you program into all family members’ phones and are also printed or written down somewhere in case your mobile device is not charged.
What is your evacuation plan? To get out of your home, your community, your immediate area? And if you are separated, where is a safe place that you can meet and reconnect?
Have you practiced this plan with everyone in your home? It is important to run through the plan when you are not faced with an emergency. It will give you time to work through any issues and think about possible solutions when tensions are not high.

Build a Kit

Your emergency supply kit will vary depending on where you live and who you live with, but there will be some basic things that every kit should have.
Use this list to get you started Ready Emergency Supply List
Know where you will keep your kit and who is responsible for grabbing the kit in case of an evacuation.

Spending some time planning will be worth it in a real emergency.

Bonus Tips for Parents and Caregivers:

If you pack non-perishable food in your emergency supply kit, make sure to add a calendar reminder each year to check its expiration date.

Have growing kids? If you are packing an extra set of clothes, change them out once or twice a year as well depending on their growth spurt.

Make sure to have cash in your emergency supply kit. If there is no electricity, you won’t be able to get cash from an ATM or potentially pay for things.