Get Prepared

Preparation will not prevent emergency situations, but being prepared can prevent or reduce, as much as possible, harm to your family, yourself, and others.

Here are some essential steps you can take to prepare for an emergency:

• Stay Informed: Knowing about the hazards that may strike your community and the risks you may have to take could be lifesaving. Make sure you are utilizing all reliable emergency and weather alert systems that are available in your community.
• Create a Family Preparedness Plan and Emergency Supply Kit 
• Know the Emergency Plans of Your School, Workplace, and Community: Be as familiar with these plans as possible and keep copies of them in a safe place to refer to in the event of an emergency.
• Learn Basic Injury and Disease Prevention: Information is available on ADPH's Injury Prevention and Infectious Diseases websites and from your health care provider.
• Keep Up with Current Information: Refer to this website for the latest information and resources on emergency preparedness. Refer to your local or state emergency management agency and local news and weather outlets for information on developing situations.
• Keep Written Directions to Your Home: You may need written directions to refer to when talking to emergency responders in case you are in a state of panic and in need of rescue. This can also be helpful if someone unfamiliar with the area is in your home at the time an emergency occurs.

Visit the sections below for more detailed informaiton.

Emergency Supply Kits
Family Readiness Guide
Evacuation
After the Disaster

Emergency Supply Kits

An emergency supply kit is intended to sustain your and your family’s basic needs during an emergency. Store the items in waterproof bags and place them in easy-to-carry containers, such as duffel bags or unused trash bags. Be sure to store your kits where all family members can easily locate and retrieve them. Consider putting together individual kits for each person in the family.

• Essential Items for your Emergency Supply Kit

Family Readiness Guide

Our Family Readiness Guide provides basic emergency preparedness education to help you prepare for disasters including weather, chemical, radiological, and biological events. This includes information on evacuating, injury prevention, disease prevention, and much more. Use the links below to download the Guide.

• In Case of Emergency – Are You Ready? 
• ¿En Caso de Emergencias - Está Preparado? 

Evacuation

Preparing to evacuate is difficult because the decision often happens with little warning, and with little advance guidance as to how far away you need to go and how long you will be away. There are a few things you can do in advance to help you be ready in case evacuation of your area is required.

• Be familiar with the types of emergencies your area is vulnerable to, be it tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, etc.
• Follow reliable sources that will help you make informed decisions. Sign up for alerts from the National Weather Service, your county’s Emergency Management Agency, and your local news and weather outlets.
• Have your emergency kit assembled and stored where anyone in your household can retrieve it when needed.

Visit the evacuation section at Ready.gov for more information.

After the Disaster

The aftermath of a disaster can be as difficult and dangerous to navigate as the disaster itself. Cleaning up after tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters presents several risks and challenges you need to consider as you work through your preparations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists numerous guidelines for cleaning safely after a disaster, including the following:

• Get the Right Gear: Consider hard hats, goggles, N95 masks, work gloves, waterproof boots with steel toe and insole, and fire extinguishers, among other items.
• Gather Basic Cleaning Supplies: Bleach, detergent, rubber gloves, sponges, mops and brooms, a shop vac or canister vacuum if available. If mud or other debris is in your home, you may need shovels and rakes to remove it.
• Pace Yourself: Prioritize and focus on the most important tasks first so you don’t get overwhelmed.
• Get Support: Whether it’s moving heavy objects, completing certain tasks, or having someone to talk to when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s important that you don’t take on the aftermath of a disaster alone.

For more detailed lists and instructions, visit Disaster Cleanup and Repair for Your Home at the American Red Cross. This resource includes information on dealing with water damage and smoke damage.