Before you take care of your business, it is essential to learn the steps for personal preparedness. You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself first.

Let's review these simple preparedness steps and learn how we can apply it to the hazards you can identify as risks in your area.

By practicing these steps you can help your business, staff, and community all become more resilient to disaster.

1. Make a Plan

Create and practice an emergency plan so your family and team will know what to do in a crisis.

• With your household members, discuss how to prepare and respond to the types of hazards that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work and play.
• Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and how you will work together as a team.
• Practice as many elements of your plan as possible.

Check off which considerations you've already included in your personal preparedness plan:

• Be familiar with natural hazard risks in your community.

• Consider how you will respond to emergencies that can happen anywhere.

• Consider how you will respond to emergencies that are unique to your region.

• Think about emergencies that may require your household to shelter in place vs emergencies that may require evacuation. 

Plan what to do in case you are separated during an emergency.

Choose one place you could meet up just outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.

• Record your meetup spot in your Business Continuity Plan.

Choose a second place you could meet up outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.

• • Record your meetup spot in your Business Continuity Plan.

Plan what to do if you have to evacuate.

• Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there.
• Practice evacuating your home twice a year during rush hour. Grab your emergency kit. Plot alternate routes in case roads are impassable. Make sure you have locations and maps saved on cell phones, GPS, and on paper.
• Plan ahead for your animals. Keep a list of pet-friendly motels and animal shelters along your evacuation routes. Remember if it's not safe for you to stay home, it's not safe for your animals either.

Some members of your household may need special accommodation during an emergency, which means planning ahead is even more crucial.

Plan for everyone in your home (older adults, people with disabilities, children and infants, pets).

2. Build a Kit

Your "Go Kit" should include a 3-day supply of the items you need in case of evacuation. Your "Stay at Home Kit" should include a 2-week supply of items you will need to shelter in place.

Disaster & Pantry Supplies:

• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• Extra batteries or power bank
• Multi-purpose tool
• Emergency blanket
• Whistle
• Work gloves
• Supplies for securing your home
• Plastic sheeting
• Cooler or ice chest
• Two-way radio
• Water: 4 liters per person, per day
• Baby supplies
• Pet supplies
• Manual can opener
• Food: non-perishable, easy to prepare items

Don't forget to include in your Kit other essential supplies like pharmacy items, documents, and household items!

Essential Documents:

• Copies of personal, financial, medical records
• Extra cash
• Family emergency contact information
• A map of the area

Household Items:

• Entertainment items (such as books or games)
• Blankets, pillows, sleeping bags
• Extra clothing, hats, sturdy shoes
• Towels
• Matches
• Rain gear
• Duct tape
• Car keys
• Household bleach

Pharmacy Items:

• A 7-day supply (per person) of medications, medical supplies, and equipment
• Hearing aids (batteries), glasses, contact lenses, solution, syringes, etc.
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• N95 or other protective face masks
• Family First Aid Kit
• Thermometer

3. Be Informed

Know important information to stay safe.

Learn the types of disasters or emergencies that may likely occur in your area. These events can range from those affecting only you and your household, like a home fire or medical emergency, to those affecting your entire community, like an earthquake of flood.

Check off the steps you have already completed, and make a note to work toward the rest.

• Identify how local authorities will notify you during a disaster and how you will get information, whether through local radio, TV, phone, etc.
• Know the difference between different weather alerts such as "watches" and "warnings" and what actions to take in each.
• Know what actions to protect yourself during disaster that may occur in area where you travel or have moved recently. For example, if you travel to a place where earthquakes are common and you are not familiar with them, make sure you know what to do to protect yourself should one occur.
• When a major disaster occurs, your community can change in an instant. Loved ones may be hurt and emergency response is likely to be delayed. Make sure that at least one member of your household is trained in first aid and CPR and knows how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). This training is useful in many emergency situations.

4. Connect to your local Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society.

Now that you've learned some simple steps to help prepare yourself, connect with your own Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society. 

Your local Red Cross or Red Crescent can connect you with local resources, trainings, and volunteer opportunities to further engage with preparedness activities.

Another quick and easy resource to help you prepare for whatever hazards life throws your way is by downloading the IFRC's First Aid App.

• iOS
• Android

Congratulations, you've completed Personal Preparedness!

You have learned the simple steps to personal preparedness:

1. Make a plan
2. Build a kit
3. Be informed
4. Connect to your Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society

Well done! Now let's proceed to the next module of Preparing for Hazards to learn about the specific steps to mitigate your hazard risks.