National Preparedness Month Day 4--Your Emergency Plans

Warm up your laptop and let's get to writing, you have some plans to make.  An emergency plan should be written, it should be updated at least twice a year or any time there are significant changes to make, and it should be available digitally so that it can be shared with family members.  You will need to following information:

• Personal information for each family member (full name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, social media contact info, social security number, driver's license number, passport number, full physical description, recent face and full body photos, school/employer name and contact info).  If you have pets, have this information for pets as well.
• Scanned copies of personal documents: passport, driver's license, DD 214, military ID, diplomas/certificates/credentials, school records.
• The name/number/email address of friends or relatives who can be called in an emergency (someone in your local area, someone in your state, someone out of state, someone out of country if necessary).
• A copy of your children's school emergency plans, a copy of your employer's emergency plan, and copies of your local/city/county/state emergency plans.
• A local map showing important services and contact info (schools, vet, doctor, utility providers, grocery stores, pharmacies, police department, fire department, local hospitals, tsunami evacuation routes, community emergency shelters, etc).
• A list of emergency meeting places (in your neighborhood, in your town, in your state, out of your state, out of your country).
• A medical history, list of allergies, and list of current medications (prescription and OTC) for each family member.   Include medical insurance info, doctor's name and location, vaccination info, etc.
• A map of at least four different evacuation routes from your home to out of town.
• A digital copy/location of: will, medical directive/POLST, power of attorney, medical power of attorney, living will, bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance accounts, list of creditors, deeds and titles for property, health records, pet records, marriage certificates, death certificates, birth records, adoption records, divorce records, military records.  Include location of safety deposit box/keys as well as off-site storage locations and access info.
• Name and contact info for attorneys, CPAs, will executor, insurance agent. 
• A digital video/written inventory of everything in your home and on your property.  Include receipts for purchase of items, serial numbers, warranty info, etc.
• List of all income sources/future income sources (retirement plans, pensions, royalties, trust information, current pay stubs, tax records).
• List of legal/court documents (charging documents, court judgement, legal case disposition records, divorce decrees, parenting plans, child support orders, etc).
• Description of all vehicles owned (photos, description, make model, year, VIN#, registration info).
• Your bug-in plan.  How will everyone get home, what steps should be taken in an emergency (boarding up windows, shutting off utilities), how will your home be protected, etc.
• Your bug-out plan.  Where will you go (several options), how will you get there, how will you pay for getting there/gas/food/lodging, what will you take with you.
• List of the most common types of emergencies in your area and lists of ways you will prepare for these.

Resources:

• A comprehensive personal planning document.
• Ready.gov Checklists
• Red Cross Fillable Plan Form