How can I better prepare for any disaster?

Develop/Review Family Communication Plan:

The greatest cause of anxiety when disaster happens is not knowing how the people you care about are doing. This will give assurances that all are safe and enable you to make plans to get back together.  List all telephone numbers as well as e-mail addresses for everyone that you will need to notify in an emergency.  Ask an out-of-state friend or relative to serve as the family contact.  After a disaster, it is often easier to call long distance, outside of the disaster area.  Make sure all family members know the name, address and telephone number of the contact person.

Develop/Review Family Evacuation Plan:

Contact your local Emergency Management Director to learn of your community’s emergency plan, location of shelters and hospitals, evacuation routes and emergency warning system..  Every city and town in the Commonwealth has one.  If an incident occurs, listen to local radio or television and follow the instructions of emergency officials.  Evacuate immediately, if told to do so.  Lock your homes when you leave. Travel routes specified by local officials, taking family disaster kit basics with you.  You may be asked to ‘shelter-in-place’. This means to go indoors, closing all doors and windows. Turn off all window fans, dryers kitchen and bath exhaust fans, air conditioners and other sources of outside air.  If you are traveling in an automobile, close windows and air vents. Continue to monitor the media for further instructions.