Main Points

• ACEP recommends that every family have a disaster preparedness plan and prepare for emergencies by assembling a disaster supplies kit and conducting emergency drills.
• Emergency physicians are the front line of medicine. They have a critical role in disaster preparedness and response. During the H1N1 flu outbreak, thousands of people sought reassurance and flu testing in emergency departments.
• More than any other physician, emergency physicians are uniquely qualified to provide care after a disaster. They have specialized training and experience in managing mass casualties and delivering lifesaving care to the sick and injured.
• Everyone is only one step away from a medical emergency.
• See the "Emergency Manual" at EmergencyCareforYou.org for more tips about preparing for disasters and other kinds of medical emergencies.

What steps should families take to prepare for a disaster?

There are numerous kinds of disasters, but many of the ways to prepare are similar. ACEP recommends that families first identify what types of disasters are common in their regions. This information can be obtained from local emergency management offices or American Red Cross chapters. Next, ACEP recommends developing a family disaster-preparedness plan that deals with each type of possible situation. The following are some recommended steps for preparing for a disaster (however, these don’t represent every possible step): 

• Assemble a disaster supplies kit (see recommended items in this fact sheet).
• Plan an evacuation route and know the safest route to emergency shelters. Conduct family emergency drills about every six months.
• Know and teach your family how to turn off water, gas and electricity at the main switches or values in your house.
• Identify the safest places in your house for each type of disaster and plan home escape routes.
• Make sure all family members know where to go outside the home to be safe. Pick a couple of meeting places in case the family is not together when a disaster occurs and communication is disrupted.
• Learn about emergency plans in your child’s school or day care center and in the community.
• Make sure all family members can recognize danger signals (e.g., smoke detector alarm) and the warning signals (sirens, radio or television messages) your community uses, as well as what to do if they hear them.
• Choose an out-of-state family contact, and make sure everyone knows how to contact this person in case you become separated in an emergency. Make sure your children know how to call for help and when to use emergency numbers.
• Place emergency phone numbers by each phone. These should include 9-1-1 or numbers to EMS, fire department, ambulance, physician, poison control, places of employment, neighbors, gas and electric companies, Red Cross, hospital, out-of-town contact and local emergency management division.
• Make sure adults in the house know how and when to turn off household utilities.
• Develop a plan to protect your pets.
• Know how to help the elderly and people with special needs.
• Take a CPR and  first aid class.
• Develop a household inventory. Make a detailed visual or written record of all your possessions, including model and serial numbers.
• Make copies of important documents and keep originals in a safe deposit box away from your home.

PRACTICE AND MAINTAIN YOUR PLAN

• Quiz children every six months so they remember what to do in an emergency.
• Test your smoke alarms every month. At least once a year, replace batteries in smoke alarms.
• Replace stored food and water every six months.
• Make sure your fire extinguisher is properly charged (use gauge or test button to check proper pressure). Follow the manufacturer’s instruction for replacing or recharging.

What should you do during a disaster?

• Remain calm and put your plan into action.
• Listen to local radio and television stations for updates and follow all instructions. If you don’t have a battery-powered radio, listen to your car radio.
• If told to evacuate, leave right away. Use flashlights instead of matches. Never touch downed power lines.
• If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, don’t use light switches, telephones or doorbells. If possible, turn off the main gas valve, and get everyone outside quickly. Open windows and shut off any other damaged utilities (once outside at a safe place, call 911 — a professional will need to turn the gas back on).
• Clean up any spilled household chemicals, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
• Confine or make sure your pets are safe.
• Check on neighbors, especially elderly or disabled persons.

If asked to evacuate:

• Take a disaster supplies kit with you.
• Use routes suggested by officials.
• If it is safe and you are advised, shut off water, gas and electricity.
• Leave a note explaining when you left and where you are going.

After a disaster:

• Avoid and protect children from piles of trash or debris that may contain broken glass or rusty nails.
• Supervise children around any mechanical equipment.
• Keep lit cigarettes and any flames away from debris piles, which may contain flammable materials.

What should be included in a disaster supplies kit?

DISASTER SUPPLIES KIT — Store items together in a plastic tub or container that is easy to locate by all family members.

Food and Water Supplies

• Water (three gallons per person recommended)
• Nonperishable foods (replace every six months) that require no refrigeration or preparation, such as:
  • Peanut butter
  • Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruit, vegetables, milk and fish (10 cans per person recommended)
  • Bread and crackers stored in waterproof bags or containers
  • Cereal and granola bars
  • Special supplies for babies (diapers, formula, powdered milk, medications) or the elderly
• Prescriptions and First Aid Kit Supplies (see ACEP’s Traveler’s First-Aid flyer for more information)
• Health information, such as prescription medications (one-month’s supply recommended), and copies of prescriptions.
• Medical history forms, which include a list of all over-the-counter and prescription medications that you and your family members are taking. Emergency phone numbers, including the names and phone numbers of your physicians.
• First-aid kit and manual (for contents of first-aid kit, see ACEP’s Home First-Aid Kit flyer at EmergencyCareforYou.org). Personal identification, passports and copies of social security cards.
• Bandages of assorted sizes:  To cover minor cuts and scrapes.
• Antibiotic ointment:  To prevent infection in burns, cuts and scrapes.
• Antifungal cream:  To sooth itching caused by fungus.
• Antacid tablets or liquid:  For indigestion.
• Antiseptic wipes:  To disinfect wounds or clean hands, tweezers, scissors and thermometer.
• Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin tablets:  To relieve headache, pain, fever and simple sprains or strains. Use liquid forms of acetaminophen and ibuprofen for infants, toddlers and young children who are not able to chew or swallow tablets. Have at least two aspirin tablets available at all times in case of heart attack (unless not recommended by your physician). Use appropriate dosages and make sure the medicine is age appropriate. Due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome, aspirin (even baby/children’s aspirin) should not be used to relieve flu symptoms or be given to anyone under age 19.
• Antihistamine (or Epi-Pen as prescribed by a doctor):  To relieve allergies and inflammation. Use appropriate dosages and make sure the medicine is age appropriate.
• Hydrocortisone cream:  To relieve irritation from rashes.
• Sunscreen:  SPF 15 or higher, broad-spectrum.
• Hand-purifier gel: To use where there is no access to soap and water. For effective sanitizing, be sure the alcohol level is greater than 60 percent and ideally, 90 percent. Use for disinfecting purposes only, not for the removal of dirt or other substance from hands.
• Hand wipes: For quick removal of dirt or other substances. Baby wipes are an excellent option.
• Cold pack:  To reduce swelling from an injury.

Additional Supplies

• Battery-powered radio, flashlights and extra batteries.
• Extra pairs of eyeglasses or contact lenses and supplies.
• Disposable facemasks as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as medical devices.
• Bank account numbers, insurance policies, wills, deeds, stocks and bonds.
• Credit card account numbers and companies.
• Family records (births, marriages, death certificates).
• Inventory of valuable household goods.
• Map of the area (to locate shelters).
• Credit card, extra cash (at least $100 to $200) and change. After disasters, power and communication lines may be down for days. This means ATMs won’t work or will be rapidly exhausted of cash.
• Mess kits or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils.
• Non-electric can-opener and utility knife.
• Personal hygiene items.
• Change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes for each family member.
• Blankets or sleeping bags.
• Matches in a waterproof container.
• Spare set of car keys.
• Nonflammable signal device.
• Whistle.
• Masking or duct tape.
• Plain chlorine bleach or other method to sanitize drinking water.
• Plastic garbage bags.
• Shut-off wrench to turn off household gas and water.

Supplies for Pets

Remember that most shelters can’t take pets, so plan for them in case you have to evacuate.

• A two-week supply of dry and canned food.
• Water (half-gallon per day recommended).
• Litter box supplies and traveling cage.

Some of the information for this fact sheet was extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Family Readiness Kit, developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross. For more information on other health and safety tips, visit www.EmergencyCareforYou.org.