PHILADELPHIA –
When it comes to planning for disasters, the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management encourages people to know what they should have in their homes, their hands and their heads.
IN THEIR HOMES
Individuals should maintain the following items in their homes to ensure they’re ready when needed.
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Flashlights
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Extra batteries
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Water bottles
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Non-perishable food, such as canned goods, snack bars, freeze-dried fruits and cereal.
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First aid kit
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Copies of your photo IDs
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Copies of lease, mortgage and insurance info
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Portable AM/FM radio
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Assistive equipment with a full charge
IN THEIR HANDS
The following items should be prepared in a back pack, ready to grab during an evacuation.
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Extra car and house keys
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Cash
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Batteries
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Back-up power
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Important documents
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Water
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Flash light
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Pen and paper
IN THEIR HEADS
Individuals and families need an action plan in their heads so they don’t have to think under stress.
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Prepare a Family Emergency Plan for your home
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Choose two places for your family to meet after an emergency – one right outside your house and one outside your neighborhood
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Draw a rough outline of your home, including exit points
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Share your plan with caregivers, personal support network and your emergency contacts
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Practice your plan. Practice getting to your meeting spot
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Review the plan frequently with your family
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Choose an emergency contact outside the immediate area
More information, including fillable forms, can be found at https://beta.phila.gov/departments/oem and www.ready.gov.