Make a Plan

Communicating with loved ones is very important in the aftermath of a disaster, but normal communications methods might not work. Having a communications plan will help you stay connected.

• Sign up to receive emergency alerts and warnings.
• If lots of people try to make phone calls at the same time, the system can become overwhelmed and crash. Instead of calling people after a disaster, try to send short text messages, such as 'U OK?' or 'IM HOME'. Short text messages are more likely to get through successfully than longer messages or phone calls.
• Establish an out-of-area contact for everyone in your household. Texts or phone calls to someone who lives outside of an impacted area are more likely to get through successfully than texts or calls to someone close by. Ask a trusted friend or family member who lives out of state.
• Write down important phone numbers and keep them in a safe location in your home as well as in your wallet, purse, or backpack. If you lose your phone or your phone dies, you will still be able to reach people.
• If someone in your household has a communication disability or uses alternative communication devices, be sure to include their needs in your plan as well.

Communications Planning Resources

ALERT King County
Sign up to get emergency alerts and warnings for area.

Family Communications Planning Guide(PDF, 965KB)
Use this guide to help your household establish a communications plan.

Your household should have plans to evacuate your home, your neighborhood, and the entire area if necessary.

• Follow any issued evacuation instructions
• Know your hazards and what might cause you to evacuate
• Identify several places your household can meet during an emergency, both in and out of your neighborhood. Practice!
• Be familiar with multiple routes and transportation methods out of your area
• Assemble emergency evacuation kits or go-bags that you can quickly grab and take with you during an emergency
• Keep gas tanks at least one third full
• Be ready to stay in place for an extended period of time if evacuation is not safe or not advisable. Have enough supplies to stay at home to last your household for at least 2 weeks, including food, water, and any other resources you need.

Evacuation Planning Resources

Evacuation Planning Guide
Use this guide to help your household develop an evacuation plan.

Home Fire Escape Plan
Use this guide to create a home evacuation guide in case of a fire in your household.

Do you know multiple routes to get home or someplace safe without using a GPS? Are you aware of upcoming weather forecasts or hazards that might impact driving conditions? Make an emergency plan for your commute.

• Keep your gas tank at least 1/3 full in case of evacuations or power outages.
• Install good winter tires and make sure they have adequate tread.
• Turn Around, Don't Drown! Never drive through floodwaters. It only takes a few inches of moving water to sweep away large vehicles. 
• If a power line falls on your car, call 9-1-1 right away and stay inside until a trained responder can remove the wire.
• Have modified emergency go-bags for different environments that you might encounter.

Pets and animals need special consideration when creating a household emergency plan. Try not to leave pets behind during an emergency or evacuation, and never leave pets chained up outside if the household has to leave suddenly.

• Be sure to license and microchip your pet.
• Establish a designated caregiver for your pets in the event that you are not able to take care of them yourself. Your pets' designated caregiver should know how to access your animals in case you are not home, where their necessary supplies are stored, and any housing, feeding, or medical considerations involved with taking care of your pet. Be sure to include your designated caregiver's contact information in your pet licensing information.
• Identify pet friendly places to stay. For public health reasons, most emergency shelters do not accept pets, only service animals, although pet shelters may be opened during an emergency.
  • Find pet friendly hotels as part of your evacuation route. Keep contact information for these hotels in your pet emergency kit.
  • Consider asking an out-of-town friend or relative to watch your animals
• Include your pet's veterinarian contact information and copies of any important medical records in your pet emergency kit.

• Create a support network of trusted individuals who can help during an emergency. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in a household emergency kit.
• You may want to consider giving one or two people in your support network a copy of your house or apartment key and letting them know where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Plan ahead for accessible transportation, especially in case you need to evacuate or get to a medical facility. King County Access has emergency planning resources for transit needs.
• If you are dependent on dialysis or other life-sustaining treatment, know the location and availability of more than one facility. Talk to your regular facility about their emergency response plans.
• If you use medical equipment in your home that requires electricity, talk to your health care provider about how you can get prepare your equipment for possible power outages.
• Wear medical alert tags or bracelets.
• If you have a communication disability, make sure your emergency information notes the best way to communicate with you.
• If you use an augmentative communications device or other assistive technologies, plan how you will evacuate with the devices and how you will replace them or communicate without them if the equipment is lost or destroyed. This could include laminated cards with phrases, pictures, or pictograms.
• If you use assistive technology devices, keep model information and note where the equipment came from in your emergency kit.
• Keep Braille/text communication cards, if used, for 2-way communication.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services online tool helps people locate and access their electronic health records from a variety of resources.
• Sign up to get benefits electronically, especially if you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling 800-333-1795 or online.

Determine if there is any special assistance you might need during a disaster, and include it in your emergency plan.

• Create a support network of trusted individuals who can help during an emergency. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in a household emergency kit.
• You may want to consider giving one or two people in your support network a copy of your house or apartment key and letting them know where you keep your emergency supplies.
• Talk to your healthcare providers about their emergency medical plans, especially if you undergo routine treatments or have specific medical concerns.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services online tool helps people locate and access their electronic health records from a variety of resources.
• Sign up to get benefits electronically, especially if you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling (800) 333-1795 or online.
• Be sure to plan for any access and functional needs you may have.
• Build a kit and make a plan for pets or service animals.

Find activities, resources, and extra information about preparing and teaching children about emergency preparedness.