Establishing an Emergency Communication Plan for Your Family

If a natural disaster struck your home today, would your family be prepared?  Before an emergency happens, have a well thought out and easily executed emergency communication plan for your family. It can help put you at ease during a disaster and could even be the difference between life and death.

Creating an Emergency Family Communication Plan That Is Kid Friendly

Keep your plan simple and easy to remember, especially if you have younger children.  Ready.gov has created a useful acronym to help.

  • Create a family communication plan to reach family members. Give copies of contact information and meeting locations to everyone in your family.
  • Options are available: land lines, cell phones and e-mail.
  • Make sure you know the emergency plan at your child’s school.
  • Make a decision about where you will meet in case you can’t get home during an emergency.
  • Understand that it may take time to get through to everyone.
  • Needs of your pets should be kept in mind. Keep a pet carrier for easy transport.
  • Inform yourself. Watch news broadcasts, read online news updates or listen to a battery-operated radio for official guidance during an emergency, but also prepare in advance.
  • Copies of your emergency plan should be in your emergency supply kit in case you need to leave in a hurry.
  • Ask kids to discuss their concerns and feelings. Do they understand the family plan?
  • Take the kids to visit the “meeting spots” so that they are familiar and feel comfortable finding them on their own if necessary.
  • Emergencies take many forms. Categorize different types of emergencies and discuss the level of concern related to each and how that is reflected in your family plan.

Home Defense Preparedness as Part of Your Plan

As a part of your emergency family communications plan, it is important to make sure you are prepared for all types of emergencies including home invasion.  While this does not include all points of preparedness, here are initial tactics to implement.

  1. Install motion sensor lights – Have these installed to cover each window and door on the ground level. This will deter would be burglars.
  2. Install a well-made dead bolt lock – Install this on a solid door so that they are hard to break and a burglar won’t want to fuss with it.
  3. Reinforce your door frame – Having a strong door and lock will not help as much if you have a weak doorframe.
  4. Secure sliding doors – These are among the weakest points of your house and can be easily forced open.
  5. Leave a light on overnight – This is one of the easiest ways to deter a home invader. A would be burglar will see the light and assume someone may be up and active. Also, if someone does break into your home, you will have light to see what is happening.

Learn more about How to Become a Hard Target for an Invader.

When You Need More

We’re not your typical security company. At USSS, Inc. we provide top of the line services including home defense, self-defense and more. With an executive team consisting of former United States Secret Service Agents, FBI and Special Forces Operators including the Former Commander of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, USSS is unmatched in experience and knowledge.

If you want professional help developing your emergency family communications plan and personal home defense strategy, Universal Safety & Security Solutions (USSS) can help you handle and prepare for all of the possible threats to and in your home. Contact us now for more information.