Keith Thomas: 0:31

Hello and welcome to another episode of Survival Sense, your go-to podcast for all things disaster preparedness and survival skills. I'm your host, keith Thomas, and today we're diving into the topic how to create an emergency plan for your family. Whether it's a natural disaster or man-made crisis, or any unexpected event, having a well-thought-out plan can make all the difference. Before we get started, I want to remind you about our Send Us a Text Message feature. If you have questions or suggestions or just want to share your thoughts, head over to the link in the description and send me a message. I love hearing from you and your feedback helps shape the content of this podcast. So why do we need a plan?

Keith Thomas: 1:26

Emergencies can strike at any time and often without warning, from hurricanes and earthquakes to house fires and power outages. Being prepared can save lives. An emergency plan ensures that every family member knows what to do. Plan ensures that every family member knows what to do, where to go and how to stay safe. But what makes a good emergency plan? It should be comprehensive, easy to understand and regularly updated. The goal is to minimize confusion and maximize safety when an emergency arises.

Keith Thomas: 2:06

The first step in creating an emergency plan is to assess the risk specific to your area. Different regions face different threats. If you live in California, you might prioritize earthquake preparedness. In Florida, hurricanes may be your main concern. Make a list of the potential emergencies that could affect your area. Don't forget to consider smaller-scale incidents like house fires, which can happen anywhere. Understanding these risks will help you tailor your emergency plan to address the most likely scenarios. So let's talk about developing your plan.

Keith Thomas: 2:52

First step is to create a communication strategy, and here we want to establish how you will communicate during an emergency. You should designate a family member outside your media area as a contact person. This helps if local communications are down and the rest of the family is separated and the rest of the family is separated. Ensure everyone knows how to text, as SMS can often get through when calls can't. Designate meeting places. Choose two meeting places, one near your home and another outside your neighborhood in case you need to evacuate. Know your evacuation routes, plan multiple evacuation routes from your home and neighborhood and practice these routes on a regular basis. Keep in mind we suggest multiple routes and include some of the least popular routes to get out of town. In most cases, during an evacuation, most main roads or popular evacuation routes will become backed up and lessen your chances of being able to evacuate or cause delays in your evacuation. To evacuate or cause delays in your evacuation Emergency contacts Create a list of emergency contacts including local authorities, doctors and schools, and this should also include the number for your designated person outside your immediate area, and ensure that every family member has a copy of these emergency contacts.

Keith Thomas: 4:41

Assigning roles and responsibilities Assign roles to each family member who will grab the emergency kit? Who will take care of the pets? Clear roles prevent chaos. We have free communication worksheets and cards available through the link in our show description. These resources can help you organize your contact information and emergency plans in a simple, easy-to-use format.

Keith Thomas: 5:13

An emergency kit is essential and here's a quick checklist of what to include. You can also go back and check the episode on the bug-out bag and I believe there's in the old typical prepping episodes. There's an episode on assembling an emergency kit episode on assembling an emergency kit. You're going to need water at least one gallon per person per day for three days. Non-perishable food at least three days supply. A battery-powered or hand-crank crank radio, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications at least a week's supply and medical documents. A multi-tool or utility knife. Sanitation supplies such as moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties, local maps and personal items such as copies of important documents, cash, family and emergency contact information.

Keith Thomas: 6:31

Creating a plan is just the first step. Regular practice ensures everyone knows what to do when it matters most. Conduct family drills at least twice a year. Review and update your plan on a regular basis, especially after any changes in your family or local area your family or local area. Well, thank you for joining me on this episode of Survival Sense, and remember preparation is key to ensuring your family's safety during an emergency. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with your friends and family, and don't forget to send me your questions and feedback via the send us a text message link in the show notes.

Keith Thomas: 7:22

Before we wrap up, I want to recommend an excellent resource the Lost Ways. This book is packed with survival techniques and historical knowledge that can further enhance your preparedness. Check out the link in the show notes to get your copy today, and also consider putting together an emergency binder to keep your important family documents in one place. This can include birth certificates, insurance policies, social security cards and medical records. Having everything in one binder makes it easy to grab and go in an emergency. Well, stay safe, stay prepared and until next time. This is Keith Thomas signing off from Survival Sense. You.