Thank you for your interest in preparing for emergencies. We hope our page has helped you to take steps forward in preparing your family, home, and vehicle(s) to be ready for disasters of all kinds. Once you have gathered a supply of water, built a kit with essential foods and supplies, created an emergency plan for your family, and learned about managing your stress and mental health following a disaster, much of the preparation and gathering supplies work will be complete. Read on about what comes next.
Even after taking great steps in preparing for emergencies, the preparedness task is never completely “done.” Staying prepared requires regular maintenance of your plans, your contacts, and your supplies. After the work of gathering supplies and information is done, regular updates and replenishments become critically important.
To keep track of when your emergency food and prescriptions were last checked, keep a written log with those supplies. If you find expiration dates set to pass before the next 6-month review, make a list and replace those items as soon as possible.
Swap our your emergency clothing periodically. Replace any clothing or shoes that your children have outgrown. Make sure all adults in the household check that their emergency clothing items still fit too.
Keep a list of reliable resources for preparedness information, and review occasionally for any new recommendations. We’ve listed a few of our favorite emergency websites below.
Mark your calendar so you remember to check your supplies regularly, at least twice a year.
If you have school-aged kids, remember to update your plans when they change schools or after-school care.
If your medical, home, or auto insurance information changes, make copies to keep with your financial information in your emergency kit.
Maintain Your Kit
Check your kit every 6 months.The best times to do this are before winter when storms and power outages are likely, and before summer when the risk of wildfire increases. Keep an up-to-date kit where it can be easily accessed.
Update Your Plan
Review your emergency plan at least once a year to ensure it remains valid, including meeting locations and out-of-state contacts. This is also a great time to practice the plan with your family members.
Refresh Your Contacts
Stay up-to-date with important contacts. Instead of relying solely on your smart phone to store those numbers, make a printed list of those contacts and give copies to every member of your household.
In the moment you’re faced with an emergency, it’s too late to start researching how to respond. Knowing what to do for injuries and health-related emergencies, such as sudden heart attacks or strokes, is an important part of your preparedness plan — for your safety and the safety of your loved ones. Make sure you and your family members have at minimum a basic knowledge of first aid, and that your first aid kits are well-stocked and easily accessible in case of emergency.
The Oregon Office of Emergency Management recommends having a first aid kit stored in a cool, dry location of your home, vehicle, and workplace. Before you go buy pre-packaged first aid kits, keep in mind that they often contain primarily adhesive bandages and leave out other essentials. Save money and get the items you need by buying the contents in bulk, then packaging the items in containers that work best for you, such as backpacks or plastic totes.
Once your first aid kits have been assembled, make sure each of your family members knows how to use the items. Remember to check your kit periodically for expired contents needing to be replaced.
Supplies
Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
Elastic wrap bandages
Assorted sizes of bandage strips
Nonstick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes
Triangular bandages
Aluminum, cardboard splints
Instant hot and cold packs
Cotton balls, cotton-tipped swabs
Disposable non-latex gloves
Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Plastic bags (assorted sizes)
Safety pins (assorted sizes)
Blunt scissors and tweezers
Hand sanitizer or soap
Antibiotic ointment
Antiseptic solution/towelettes
Eye dropper
Eyewash solution
Sterile eye pad or shield
Oral thermometer (digital)
Bulb suction device for flushing wounds
Syringe, medicine cup or spoon
Disposable resuscitation face shield (breathing barrier)
Anti-inflammatory (Ibuprofen, Advil, etc.)
Pain reliever (Tylenol, aspirin, etc.)
Antihistamine (such as Benedryl)
Antacid
Laxative
Anti-diarrhea
Emetic (induces vomiting)
Hydrocortisone cream
Activated charcoal
Cough & cold medication
EpiPen, if prescribed by your doctor
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Emergency blanket
First-aid manual / instructions
Prepare to Help Others
In an emergency, your ability to stay calm will be critical. That’s because thinking clearly and quickly depends largely on you keeping your cool. To ensure calm nerves in an emergency that demands quick decisions, the best thing you can do is have adequate first aid and CPR knowledge when you need it. Knowing what to do, whether it’s applying pressure to a wound or administering CPR, can make all the difference in a life-or-death situation.
Check for CPR and first aid trainings available in your area. Make sure at least one member of your household is trained in CPR and first aid.
After a disaster, you’ll need to decide if you can safely shelter in place or need to evacuate and shelter elsewhere. Most often, people are better off remaining in their homes and communities as long as it is safe to do so. Even without utilities such as water and electricity, remaining on your own property may be your best option — if you’ve planned and prepared properly. This month, take steps to prepare your home for sheltering in place safely, and prepare a kit in case you need to seek shelter elsewhere.
After a major earthquake or other disaster event, it may be weeks or months before water, gas, and power are restored. During this time, it may be possible to remain at the home or to camp in the backyard.
Strengthen your home. If your home is more than 30 years old, take steps to strengthen your home’s structural integrity. This may include upgrading to a continuous perimeter foundation or adding bolts to secure your home to the foundation. These steps can be done by a foundation contractor or other professional with proper earthquake retrofit training.
Fix home hazards. Take the time now to move heavy pieces of furniture away from beds, sofas, and other places where people sit, sleep, or spend a lot of time. Move heavy objects to lower shelves, and secure heavy furniture to the wall.
Prepare to camp. Collect the supplies you’ll need to camp on your property in case your home becomes damaged and unsafe to live in. Have a tent, bedding, and outdoor camping supplies ready. Get ideas on what else you’ll need by searching for “camping checklists” online. Include a few items to make your time camping more comfortable, such as games, books, crafts, comfort foods (chocolate, snacks, soup) and personal hygiene items (deodorant, soap, shampoo/conditioner or dry shampoo, wet wipes, toothbrushes and toothpaste).
Choose a sanitation method. There are two sanitation methods that can be used when sewer/septic systems are offline: safe storage for later disposal or active composting. Learn which method works best for you by searching online for “emergency sanitation methods.”
Continue to build supplies of food, water and cash. Begin collecting camping and sanitation supplies.
Camping stove and fuel
Matches/lighter/firestarter
Dishes, utensils
Pots/pans
Lantern(s)
Trash bags
Sanitation supplies
Practice Camping
Practice camping with the family. If you’re not an avid camper with lots of experience “roughing it,” you can get some no-stress practice by pitching your tent in the backyard. This will help you familiarize yourself with the tent setup and ensure your tent is in proper working order. You’ll also discover if there are additional supplies that could make emergency camping more comfortable: extra blankets or a yoga mat under your sleeping bags; a favorite toy for your child/children, or food items that are easy to prepare outdoors.
Sheltering Elsewhere
In case of evacuation, or if sheltering in place isn’t possible, remember to bring some basic supplies or your emergency kit with you to the shelter. You should include all the items that get you through your personal daily routine.
No matter where you’re at in your preparedness efforts, you likely haven’t prepared for the stress of a major emergency event. For most of us, the disasters that motivate us into action include floods, fires, earthquakes, and similar events that arrive suddenly -- all of which share one trait: the potential to cause stress. Learn what steps can be taken now to protect your mental health throughout a crisis.
Emergency events cause stress for many and, for some, the fear and anxiety can be overwhelming. Stress can severely affect both adults and children, resulting in worrisome conditions and behaviors, including:
Changes in sleep or eating patterns
Difficulty concentrating
Worsening of chronic health problems
Worsening of mental health conditions
Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following ways to cope with stress.
Take breaks from the news. Whether it’s on the television, internet, radio, or social media, too much disaster news can be upsetting. Limit the time spent getting news and take breaks when needed.
Take care of your body. In stressful times, it’s especially important to take good care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol and drugs, and calm anxiety with deep breathing, stretching, or meditation.
Stay connected. Stay in touch with family and friends. Reach out by phone, email, letters/cards, texts, video chats, or social media. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.
Supplies
Continue to build emergency supplies of food, water and cash.
Tools (wrench, pry bar, shovel, hatchet, saw, zip ties, multi-tool)
Rope
Tarps
Duct tape
Work gloves
Help is Available
Need help? Know someone who does? If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others:
In recent years, the Northwest has been devastated by fast-spreading wildfire, with the 2020 wildfire season being one of the most destructive on record for the state of Oregon. Do you know how to protect yourself and family during wildfire season? Talk about evacuation plans with your household, and know what to do when air quality is reduced to an unhealthy level.
Wildfires are unplanned, unpredictable, and can spread quickly. Here’s how you can prepare:
Have several ways to receive warnings and alerts.
Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
Sign up for community alerts in your area. Visit www.ready.gov/alerts to learn how.
Be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). These do not require you to sign up.
Make an emergency plan.
Make sure everyone in your household knows and understands what to do if you need to quickly evacuate.
Know your evacuation zone.
You may have to evacuate quickly due to a wildfire. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with your household, pets, and identify where you will go. Learn more at www.ready.gov/evacuation.
Gather supplies.
Have enough supplies for your household, including medication, disinfectant supplies, masks, pet supplies in your go bag or car trunk.
Keep your cell phone charged when wildfires could be in your area. Purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.
Stay safe during a wildfire.
Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to do so! Do not return home until authorities say it is safe to do so.
Stay Safe When the Air is Smoky
Limit your exposure to wildfire smoke. Reduce time spent outdoors, and when indoors or in your car, set your A/C to recycle or recirculate.
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
Reduce other sources of indoor smoke and dust such as burning cigarettes, candles, gas, propane and wood burning stoves and furnaces, and vacuuming.
If you have heart or lung disease or respiratory illnesses such as asthma, ask your health care provider’s advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms.
Supplies
N95 masks (Keep enough masks for every member of your household to have at least two in case you are evacuated and must go to a public shelter.)
Following a disaster, starting your financial recovery process quickly and efficiently depends on having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records. Take time to collect important records and ensure you have the documentation needed in the event of an emergency.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends including financial preparedness in your emergency preparedness efforts. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), a joint publication from Operation Hope and FEMA, can help you prepare financially and provide tips to reduce the impact disasters can leave you with financially.
Use the EFFAK as a guide while storing important documents.
Gather identification information for all members of your family, such as photo IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, military service IDs, and pet ID tags.
Gather financial documents including record of housing payments, insurance policies, sources of income, and tax statements.
Medical documents should include physician information, copies of health insurance cards and policies, immunization records, and medications.
Obtain property (homeowners or renters), health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis.
Supplies
The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) and the necessary documents for you and your family
Water: Continue to build your water supply.
Food: Continue to add to your supply of non-perishable food
Cash: Add cash to your kit Keep cash in small bills.
Plan an Emergency Outfit — Emergencies can happen at any time, including when you’re asleep. Get one step ahead by placing an emergency outfit with your go-bag.
Make sure all garments are made of cotton or wool so they breathe well and can burn off without melting, in case of fire. Have all members of your household prepare an emergency outfit. Your emergency outfit should include:
A pair of shoes or boots that provide good traction in all weather
For a family to truly be prepared for emergencies, basic preparedness recommendations must be adapted to fit the needs of the people and animals in the home. Households with children, senior or disabled persons, pets and/or service animals should personalize their plans and supplies to suit their specific needs.
Children
Disasters can be very traumatic to children. Learn how to best teach your kids about emergencies in advance and help them cope during and after one strikes. The American Red Cross offers important steps parents can take to prepare their kids, and a free Monster Guard app as a fun way for kids aged 7–11 to get involved in preparedness. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies.html
If you have a child with special health care needs, make a personalized go bag for him or her. It can be a bag your child takes to school every day or it can be kept with the family’s emergency kit.
Seniors and People with Disabilities
Create a support network of people who can assist you during an emergency. Share your disaster plans with them. Make sure they have a key to your home, know where you keep emergency supplies and how to use lifesaving equipment or administer medicine.
Look for hazards that could block or hinder your movement away from a dangerous area. If you have heavy furniture pieces that could fall over in an earthquake, have them secured to a wall.
Pets and Service Animals
Include your pets and/or service animals in your emergency plans. Make sure you have your animal’s licensing information, veterinary records, and service animal documentation.
Make an emergency kit for your pet. The kit should also contain pet food, bottled water, medications, food dishes, cat pan/litter, first aid kit, spare collar/tags, and manual can opener.
Include a secure pet carrier, leash or harness so that if he panics, he can’t escape.
Farm Animals
Make a disaster kit and keep it in a central location. Check the kit’s contents regularly.
Keep a list of your animals and supplies for temporary identification.
Include a basic first aid kit, handling equipment (halters, cages and appropriate tools), water, feed and buckets.
As winter begins, check that your home and car are ready for an emergency. In case of earthquake, prepare your home by securing heavy furniture that could topple. Know how to turn off utilities that could become hazardous. Emergencies can also happen on the road — keep an emergency kit and first aid kit in the trunk.
Home
Know where your gas, electric, and water main shutoff controls are and how to turn them off if needed. Keep necessary tools easy to reach, in your emergency kit or other designated area.
Gas appliances should be fitted with flexible connections and/or a breakaway gas shut-off device, or install a main gas shut-off device.
Secure water heater(s) to walls.
Anchor bookcases and other tall, heavy furniture pieces to walls.
Install latches on drawers and cabinet doors to keep contents from spilling out.
Secure ceiling lights and hanging items such as chandeliers and plants to the permanent structure of your house.
Apply safety film to windows and glass doors.
Car
Check your tires and make sure your chains fit before the first winter storm. Check tire pressure during cold weather.
Get a vehicle check-up. Check your battery, belts, hoses, radiator, lights, brakes, heater/defroster, and wipers.
Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle. Include a flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, and first-aid kit.
Keep emergency winter road gear in the car. Include tire chains, ice scraper, snowbrush, jumper cables, and road flares.
Supplies
Water: Continue to build your water supply. Remember, store 1 gallon of water per person per day
Food: Continue to add to your supply of non-perishable food
Cash: Start putting cash away to cover critical expenses in the event electricity is out for an extended period of time. Keep cash in small bills.
Personal hygiene items
Talk About It
Talk with the members of your household about:
What are your backup transportation methods and routes?
Who will care for the kids, grandparents, and pets if you can’t get to them?
Out of State Help
Select an out of state friend or relative to assist communications during an emergency. Designate this person to be the main contact for your group of friends or family. Ensure everyone in your group has the contact number saved in their phone or wallet.
One Step Ahead
Program your vehicle’s radio for stations that report traffic and emergency messages
Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs, and other hazards if the emergency could impact the physical stability of the roadway.
Creating a plan is a critical step in emergency preparedness. If you are not with your family when disaster strikes, your first priority afterwards will be reconnecting with them. Having a plan helps ensure your family members know what to do and where to go following a disaster.
It’s very possible you’ll be away from your family when a disaster strikes. Between work, school, outside activities and responsibilities, there are likely more than a few possibilities on where you and your loved ones might be. For this reason, it’s important to:
Know which types of disasters could affect your area
Know how to contact one another and reconnect if separated
Establish a meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find
Start building a plan by discussing these 4 important questions with your family, friends, or household.
How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
What is my shelter plan?
What is my evacuation route?
What is my family/household communication plan?
Supplies
Water: Continue to build your water supply of 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least 3 days
Food: Continue to add to your supply of non-perishable food
Medicines/First Aid: Collect at least 1 week of daily medications and common first aid supplies. Include necessities like spare eyeglasses, hearing aid batteries, syringes, EpiPens
Chlorine bleach
EASY TASK
Download and complete a family emergency plan or use as a guide to create your own. Ready.gov offers a variety of emergency plans and guides for families, kids, and commuters. Visit www.ready.gov/plan to view or download.
Specific Needs
While building a plan, consider specific needs your family has. Do you have infants, children, or elderly family members in your household? How about pets? Do you need electricity for medical equipment? Adjust your plan with these needs in mind.
Create a Network
Work with friends and neighbors to build a network. Is there some-one who can provide child care or care for your pets/animals in an emergency? Do you have skills you can offer your neighbors?
One Step Ahead
Practice your plan with your family and network. Does each family member know the plan and have a copy of it? Do they know where to meet following a disaster in case phone, cellular, and Internet services are unavailable?
Water is one of the most important supplies you’ll need. It’s critical for survival and necessary for sanitation. Following a disaster, clean drinking water may not be available. Your regular water source could be cut-off or compromised through contamination. Prepare by building a supply of water that will meet your family’s needs during an emergency.
The Recommendation
Store one gallon of water per day for each person and each pet. Keep in mind that individual needs vary depending on age, health, activity, diet and climate. Additional factors to consider:
Children, nursing mothers and sick people may need more water.
A medical emergency might require additional water.
Large animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, goats or pigs should also have appropriate water storage prepared before a disaster.
Storing the recommended supply of water adds up quickly in terms of space. A family of four with two pets will need a minimum of 84 gallons of water to be 2 Weeks Ready—an amount many homes do not have room to store, particularly if it’s contained in 1-gallon recyclable drinking containers found at the grocery store.
EASY TASK
Think about alternative water storage solutions that will work for your home. Many options are available online, including drums, stackable “bricks,” and large outdoor storage tanks.
Thank you for your interest in preparing for emergencies. We hope our page has helped you to take steps forward in preparing your family, home, and vehicle(s) to be ready for disasters of all kinds. Once you have gathered a supply of water, built a kit with essential foods and supplies, created an emergency plan for your family, and learned about managing your stress and mental health following a disaster, much of the preparation and gathering supplies work will be complete. Read on about what comes next.
In the moment you’re faced with an emergency, it’s too late to start researching how to respond. Knowing what to do for injuries and health-related emergencies, such as sudden heart attacks or strokes, is an important part of your preparedness plan — for your safety and the safety of your loved ones. Make sure you and your family members have at minimum a basic knowledge of first aid, and that your first aid kits are well-stocked and easily accessible in case of emergency.
In an emergency, your ability to stay calm will be critical. That’s because thinking clearly and quickly depends largely on you keeping your cool. To ensure calm nerves in an emergency that demands quick decisions, the best thing you can do is have adequate first aid and CPR knowledge when you need it. Knowing what to do, whether it’s applying pressure to a wound or administering CPR, can make all the difference in a life-or-death situation.
After a disaster, you’ll need to decide if you can safely shelter in place or need to evacuate and shelter elsewhere. Most often, people are better off remaining in their homes and communities as long as it is safe to do so. Even without utilities such as water and electricity, remaining on your own property may be your best option — if you’ve planned and prepared properly. This month, take steps to prepare your home for sheltering in place safely, and prepare a kit in case you need to seek shelter elsewhere.
No matter where you’re at in your preparedness efforts, you likely haven’t prepared for the stress of a major emergency event. For most of us, the disasters that motivate us into action include floods, fires, earthquakes, and similar events that arrive suddenly -- all of which share one trait: the potential to cause stress. Learn what steps can be taken now to protect your mental health throughout a crisis.
In recent years, the Northwest has been devastated by fast-spreading wildfire, with the 2020 wildfire season being one of the most destructive on record for the state of Oregon. Do you know how to protect yourself and family during wildfire season? Talk about evacuation plans with your household, and know what to do when air quality is reduced to an unhealthy level.
Supplies
Following a disaster, starting your financial recovery process quickly and efficiently depends on having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records. Take time to collect important records and ensure you have the documentation needed in the event of an emergency.
As winter begins, check that your home and car are ready for an emergency. In case of earthquake, prepare your home by securing heavy furniture that could topple. Know how to turn off utilities that could become hazardous. Emergencies can also happen on the road — keep an emergency kit and first aid kit in the trunk.
