Update your Family Plan every year before hurricane season. Everyone should have a role in the plan, including children. List the following vital information now for your Family Plan.

1. Know your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.
2. Know where you will evacuate (i.e. shelter, friend, relative, hotel).
3. Locate a safe room or safest area(s) in your home for each hurricane hazard. This is usually an interior room on the lowest floor, with no windows or exterior walls, such as closets, bathrooms and utility rooms, which will give you a second level of protection from airborne debris.
4. Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet.
5. Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact so all your family members have a single point of contact.
6. Make a plan for what to do with your pets if you stay or need to evacuate.
7. Inquire if your employer provides special shelter for your family.
8. If a family member requires life-support equipment, make special plans for them.
• Register with your county office of Emergency Management for a Special Care shelter.
• Bring supplies, medication and special equipment for three days. Ask your medical supply vendor about any services they provide in the event of a hurricane and/or power failure.
9. Plans to safeguard your home: Did you purchase or check shutters? If not, did you purchase and store half inch or thicker plywood?
10. Put valuables, photos and copies of important papers in waterproof bags and store in safe place (i.e. safe deposit box). Include photos of interior and exterior of your home, driver’s license, list of medications, important names, addresses, phone numbers (doctors, lawyers, insurance agents, family and friends), account numbers and policy numbers (health,
flood, auto and home).
11. Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911.
12. Check your insurance coverage. Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowner’s insurance.
13. Stock your Must-Have Supplies.
14. Use an NOAA weather radio and change the batteries every six months.
15. Have a corded phone that does not require electricity.
16. Plug appliances and electronics into surge protectors, or have a system installed to help safeguard electronics and appliances from serious damage, or simply disconnect electronic equipment during storms to help avoid surges.
17. If you have an electric garage door opener, find out where the manual-release lever is located.

• It is important to understand the cause of a child’s anxieties and fears. Following a disaster, children are most afraid that it will happen again or they will be separated from their family.
• Help calm fears by acknowledging their concerns and perceptions.
• Encourage your children to talk about their feelings.
• Discuss your family plan to give children a sense of security.
• Practice your plan. Give children specific tasks to make them feel included.
• Reestablish daily routines.