You never know when an emergency could happen. Being prepared for an emergency before it happens can help you and your family stay safe and healthy and help give you peace of mind.

Emergency preparedness can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. If you do a little at a time it will feel less overwhelming. 

Here are some steps you can take to help your family prepare for emergencies.

• Know the specific risks for where you live. For example, do you live in a place that’s more likely to have earthquakes or severe winter storms? Visit the American Red Cross to learn about the most likely emergencies in your area.

• Create a meet-up plan in case your family gets separated. Think about what you’ll do if an emergency happens while family members are at work, school, or daycare. Practice your evacuation plan so everyone knows what to do when an emergency happens.

• Make a plan in case it isn’t safe to leave and your family needs to shelter at home.

• Know how you’ll stay informed during an emergency. This could be through radio, TV, or internet. Learn about the different types of emergency alerts and what they mean.

• Help your family have the knowledge they need to help them stay safe during an emergency.
  • Kids can help prepare for emergencies in age appropriate ways. Learn how to teach kids about emergency preparedness on the American Red Cross Teaching Kids About Emergency Preparedness page and Be Ready Utah Disaster Preparedness for Children.
  • Make sure all family members know where you keep a list of contacts. This can include information for family members who don’t live with you and other emergency contacts.
  • Teach your kids about 911 and when to call.

• Help everyone in your home build an emergency kit with supplies for several days.

• Fill out emergency contact information cards for everyone in your home.
  • Keep copies of these completed cards in places where you can easily get to them, like in wallets, cars, and emergency kits.

• Don’t forget special circumstances when you plan for an emergency. These could be things like:
  • Someone who’s pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • A baby. They may need specific formula or other food.
  • Someone who has food allergies.
  • Someone who needs a certain medication or medical device.

• Don’t forget about pets when you plan for an emergency.