Emergency Preparedness Guides

The single most important thing you can do to survive a disaster is to be mentally prepared. Being prepared for an emergency will ultimately save lives. This page collects broad or comprehensive emergency preparedness guides from a range of sources.

Organizing copies of your important documents now will help in the event of a disaster. Put the following items in a lightweight and water resistant container or bag. This should be placed where you can find it in the event you need to evacuate or escape your home in the event of an emergency. A safe deposit box may be useful but in an emergency you may not have access to it. (these ideas come from the book Organize for Disaster by Judith Kolberg).

• Driver’s License
• Passport
• Social Security Card
• Citizenship or naturalization papers
• Credit Cards (both sides)
• Unique Family Documents
• Vital Contacts (employer, bank, investment institution, credit card companies, insurance agents, utility companyies, department of motor vehicles)
• Trust records
• Deeds, titles, escrow, mortgage and loan notes
• Stock and bond certificates
• Vehicle titles and registrations
• Appraisals for rare, collectable or expensive items
• Insurance policies
• Household inventory (including receipts and photographs, description, part number, serial number)
• Put photographs and memorabilia in a place where you can grab it in an emergency
• Vital Codes (personal identification numbers PINs, passwords, user codes for your internet provider, pharmacy, bill pay online, ATM, cell phone, online banking and investment accounts, etc.).
• Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families
  from pandemicflu.gov
• Red Cross Disaster Supplies Kit
  Source: The Red Cross. 4 page pdf
• Workplace Supplies Kit
  Source: The Red Cross. 1 page pdf
• FEMA Preparedness Brochure
  16 page pdf
• Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book
  Source: FEMA. 26 pages pdf
• Are You Ready? An In Depth Guide Citizen Preparedness
  Source: FEMA. 204 page pdf
• ¿Está listo? Una guía completa para la preparación ciudadana
  Source: FEMA. 209 pages pdf
• Protect Your Health and Safety After a Hurricane
  Source: CDC. Some ideas applicable in any natural disaster, such as discarding spoiled food, disinfecting water, etc.
• Millenium Ark Emergency Preparedness
  Holly Deyo’s very complete collection of information.
• FEMA Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry
  A Step-by-Step Approach to Emergency Planning, Response and Recovery for Companies of All Sizes.
  Source: FEMA. 67 page pdf
• Are YOU ready for disaster? AlphaGeek's five part survival guide
  • Part 1 of 5 - Assess your risks!
  • Part 2 of 5 - Plan to survive!
  • Part 3 of 5 - Plan to survive!
  • Part 4 of 5 - Gear, supplies and training
  • Part 5 of 5 - Conclusion