Family Emergency Preparedness — Plans That Work for Real Families
Family preparedness means adapting emergency plans for the people who depend on you — children, elderly parents, pets, and anyone with medical or mobility needs. Generic survival checklists assume able-bodied adults. Real families have diapers, medications, mobility limitations, and frightened children. Your plan must account for all of them.
Start with our emergency preparedness checklist as a baseline, then adapt it with the family-specific considerations below.
Preparing with Children
Supplies
- • Infant: formula, diapers, wipes for 7+ days
- • Toddler: comfort item (stuffed animal, blanket)
- • School-age: activities to reduce anxiety (cards, books)
- • All ages: age-appropriate clothing, extra shoes
Communication
- • Teach children to memorize one phone number
- • ID bracelets for young children
- • Practice meeting points (use a game format)
- • Know school/daycare emergency procedures
Key insight: Children model your behavior. If you're calm and prepared, they'll be calmer. Practice drills as family activities, not fear scenarios. The survival mindset you develop helps your whole family stay grounded.
Elderly & Medical Needs
Medical Preparedness
- • 30-day supply of all prescription medications
- • Written list of medications, dosages, allergies
- • Copies of medical records and doctor contacts
- • Medical equipment batteries + manual alternatives
- • Oxygen, insulin, or other critical supplies
Mobility & Access
- • Wheelchair-accessible evacuation routes
- • Designated helpers for mobility-impaired members
- • Ground-floor shelter-in-place options
- • Transportation plans that accommodate equipment
- • Neighbor/friend backup for assistance
Pet Preparedness
Most emergency shelters do not accept pets. Plan ahead — identify pet-friendly hotels, boarding facilities, and friends/family who can take your animals. Never leave pets behind if you can help it.
Pet Go-Bag
- • 7 days of food + water
- • Medications + vet records
- • Leash, collar, carrier
- • Recent photos (for identification)
ID & Records
- • Microchip (updated info)
- • Current tags with your phone
- • Vaccination records
- • Veterinarian contact info
Evacuation Plan
- • Pet-friendly shelters identified
- • Backup caretaker arranged
- • Practice crating/loading
- • Vehicle space planned
Community Coordination
Families don't survive alone in extended emergencies — communities do. Know your neighbors, identify shared skills and resources, and establish communication before a crisis. In grid-down scenarios, organized neighborhoods recover dramatically faster than isolated households.
- • Host a neighborhood preparedness meeting (even informal)
- • Create a shared contact list (physical copies)
- • Identify who has medical skills, tools, generators
- • Establish a check-in signal or routine
- • Pool resources for shared equipment (water purification, radios)
Keep Your Family Ready
Family preparedness tips, age-specific planning guides, and seasonal readiness reminders — monthly.
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