Family Emergency Plan

A family emergency plan is a written guide that outlines how your household will respond to disasters such as fires, floods, storms, or power outages. It ensures everyone knows:
How to communicate if separated
Where to meet (inside and outside your neighborhood)
What to do for pets, children, and vulnerable family members
What supplies to have ready
Family Emergency Plan Checklist
Communication
List of family phone numbers (printed and stored in wallet)
Out-of-town emergency contact
Copies of important documents (IDs, insurance, medical records)
Meeting Places
Near-home meeting spot (e.g., neighbor’s house)
Out-of-neighborhood meeting spot (e.g., library, friend’s home)
Evacuation Routes
Primary route from home
Alternate route
Pet evacuation plan
Emergency Kit
Water (1 gallon per person per day for 3 days)
Non-perishable food (3-day supply)
Manual can opener
Flashlight + extra batteries
NOAA weather radio
First aid kit
Prescription medications
Hygiene items (soap, wipes, sanitizer)
Blankets and extra clothing
Cash (small bills)
Fire extinguisher
Pet food and supplies
Safety Tools
Utility shut-off instructions:
Gas shut-off location
Water main shut-off location
Electrical panel location
Emergency contacts posted near phone
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors checked
Practice
Family drill scheduled (twice a year)
Update plan and kit every 6 months
Here are the Dos and Don’ts for creating a Homeowner Family Emergency Plan, based on expert guidance and common mistakes to avoid:
Dos
Do Create a Clear Communication Plan
Designate an out-of-town contact.
Share emergency numbers and meeting points with all family members. 
Do Build and Maintain an Emergency Kit
Include water (1 gallon per person per day), non-perishable food, first aid supplies, medications, flashlight, batteries, and important documents.
Check and refresh items every 6 months.
Do Identify Utility Shut-Off Points
Know where to turn off gas, water, and electricity.
Post instructions near the main switches. 
Do Practice Your Plan
Conduct family drills twice a year.
Review evacuation routes and roles for each member. [preparedness.info]
Do Customize for Your Household
Consider pets, infants, elderly, and special medical needs.
Add items like baby formula, pet food, and mobility aids. [quickseries.com]
Do Stay Informed
Sign up for local alerts and know the risks in your area (flood zones, wildfire regions, etc.). 
Don’ts
Don’t Assume Everyone Knows the Plan
Lack of discussion leads to confusion during emergencies.
Involve all family members in planning and drills. 
Don’t Neglect Updating Your Kit
Expired food, dead batteries, and outdated medications can make your kit useless. 
Don’t Overlook Local Risks
A generic plan won’t help if you ignore hazards specific to your area (e.g., hurricanes vs. earthquakes). 
Don’t Forget Backup Communication
Cell networks may fail; have alternatives like radios or printed contact cards. 
Don’t Store Important Documents in Unsafe Places
Use waterproof/fireproof containers or digital backups for IDs, insurance, and medical records.
Don’t Skip Community Resources
Shelters, emergency apps, and local alerts can be lifesavers—don’t ignore them. 
The "Good" Plan: Proactive & Specific
A successful plan is simple, documented, and practiced. It assumes that technology might fail and that family members may be separated.
Multiple Meeting Points: Identifies three specific locations:
Indoor: A "safe room" (e.g., basement for tornadoes).
Neighborhood: A spot right outside the home (e.g., a specific neighbor's mailbox for fires).
Regional: A place outside the city if you cannot return home (e.g., a relative's house in the next town).
Out-of-State Contact: Designates one person living far away as the "check-in hub." During local disasters, long-distance lines often work when local ones are jammed.
Utility Mastery: Every capable family member knows exactly where the gas, water, and electricity shut-offs are and how to turn them off (and keeps a wrench nearby).
Digital & Physical Copies: Important documents (IDs, insurance) are in a "Go-Bag" and also backed up to a secure cloud or encrypted USB.
The "Practice" Factor: The family actually walks through the evacuation routes twice a year.
The "Bad" Plan: Vague & Reactive
A bad plan is often just a "mental note" or a list of supplies without a strategy. It falls apart the moment the situation deviates from the expected.
"We'll Just Call Each Other": Relying solely on cell phones is the #1 mistake. Towers often fail or become overloaded during disasters.
The "One-Size-Fits-All" Kit: Having a generic first-aid kit but forgetting specific 30-day supplies of prescription medications, pet food, or infant formula.
No Shelter-in-Place Strategy: Only planning for evacuation. A bad plan doesn't account for situations where you cannot leave (e.g., chemical leaks or blizzards) and lacks plastic sheeting or enough water.
Outdated Information: A plan from three years ago that still lists a school your child no longer attends or an emergency contact who has moved.
Assuming Everyone is Home: A bad plan doesn't account for what to do if a disaster strikes while parents are at work and kids are at soccer practice.