Individual/Family Preparedness
Basic preparedness begins with and is incumbent upon the individual or family
unit. They must take the time to understand the types of emergency or
disaster situations that are likely to occur in their own area, and prepare
for them accordingly. Preparation includes knowing when and where to take
shelter, how to cope with emergency situations until help arrives, and basic
survival for possibly extended periods until such help arrives.
There are numerous sources where information on these subjects can be found,
and basic information from the Red Cross and FEMA are listed below.
Every individual or family should at a minimum, review the following documents, and
take the preparation actions best suited for their own particular situations.
In neighborhoods with Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, this
information will normally be made available by the coordinator; however,
we strongly suggest that these are simply minimum levels of
preparedness, and everyone should seek to improve their chances of survival
by seeking additional knowledge and/or skills. Key ones include having
all family members take local courses in CPR and First Aid training.
Additionally, we would suggest taking the time to volunteer with local
emergency preparation/response organizations. If there is not already an
EMCOM Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinator in your neighborhood,
we would invite you to help your neighbors by participating in the program.
Another key action is to go to and bookmark the Emergency Victim Locator. After an emergency, friends and
family members both near and far away will be concerned about the health and
welfare of your family. Your neighborhood Community Emergency Preparedness
Coordinator, and various other emergency agencies and relief/shelter
organizations can enter your name(s) into the locator so that loved ones
anywhere in the world can learn of your location and status.
Conversely, if a disaster strikes in the neighborhood of a loved one anywhere
on earth, you can check the Emergency Victim Locator"
to learn about their status, often negating the problem of having to call
each individual emergency agency, organization, hospital, shelter, etc.
individually to search their own proprietary databases for information, which
often causes more overloading of telephone lines in the area.
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