Kits & Plans
Family emergency plan: meeting places, contacts and a practice run, in one evening
Decide how you'll hear warnings, where you'll meet, who everyone texts and how you'll leave. Write it on one page, give everyone a copy, then practice it as a game.
On this page (15 sections)
- Make your family emergency plan in one evening
- Your one-page plan, on this page
- How your family will hear warnings
- The out-of-area contact and "text, don't talk"
- Teaching the plan to kids without a lecture
- Who does what: a table for your household
- Evacuation routes and where you would go
- Planning for older relatives and people with disabilities
- Pets in the plan
- Documents and the kit
- Troubleshooting
- When to get help
- Frequently asked questions
- Next in the manual
- Sources
If your kids would not know where to meet if a storm or evacuation separated you, a family emergency plan fixes that, and it costs nothing but one evening. It is a short written agreement about what everyone does if something happens while you are apart: how you will get warnings, where you will meet, who everyone contacts, and how you will leave if you have to. Ready.gov's version has four steps: talk it through as a household, consider your household's needs, write the plan down, and practice it.
If you tried to explain this once and it turned into an argument about snacks, that is normal, and it is fixable. You don't need to buy anything. A plan children remember is short, specific and practiced, not lectured. This guide gives you a one-evening order of work, a one-page plan you fill in right here on the page, a who-does-what table and a playful practice run.
Key takeaways
- Choose two meeting places: right outside your home, and outside your neighborhood (American Red Cross).
- Pick one out-of-town contact everyone checks in with; they may be easier to reach in a disaster (Ready.gov).
- "Text, don't talk": texting may be easier when phone lines are tied up, and leaves lines open for emergency workers (Ready.gov).
- Wireless Emergency Alerts need no sign-up and are not affected by network congestion (Ready.gov).
- Plan for everyone: children's schools, older relatives, people with disabilities and pets (Ready.gov, American Red Cross).
- Practice: the Red Cross suggests practicing evacuating your home twice a year.
Do this tonight
- Turn on emergency alerts in every phone's settings.
- Choose your two meeting places: one right outside home, one outside the neighborhood.
- Pick one out-of-town contact and put the number in every phone and backpack.
Make your family emergency plan in one evening
Gather the household after dinner with paper and a pen. Ready.gov suggests starting with a few questions: how will we receive alerts and warnings, what is our shelter plan, what is our evacuation route, what is our communication plan, and does our emergency kit need updating? Then work through these steps.
Name the emergencies likely where you live
The Red Cross suggests planning for the emergencies most likely where you live, learn, work and play, and thinking about which ones mean staying home (such as a winter storm) and which may mean leaving (such as a hurricane). Ready.gov points to FEMA's National Risk Index to look up your local risks.
Done when: your likely local emergencies are listed, each marked stay or leave.
Set up alerts on every phone
Check that Wireless Emergency Alerts are turned on, and consider the FEMA App (Ready.gov). Details are in the alerts section below.
Done when: every phone has emergency alerts turned on.
Choose two meeting places
One right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire, and one outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home (American Red Cross).
Done when: everyone can name both meeting places without looking.
Pick an out-of-area contact
One person everyone calls or texts to check in. Ready.gov's kids' page suggests picking the same person for each family member, and someone out of town.
Done when: every family member has the same contact's number.
Cover school, work and daycare
Make sure places where your children spend time have your contact numbers (American Red Cross), and find out their own emergency and pickup procedures.
Done when: school, work and daycare have your numbers, and you know their pickup rules.
Plan where you would go and how
Ready.gov suggests several destinations in different directions and knowing alternate routes. See the evacuation section.
Done when: two destinations in different directions, with routes, are written down.
Write it down and hand out copies
Fill in the one-page plan below. Ready.gov says everyone should have a copy kept somewhere safe, such as a backpack, wallet or notebook, and saved in their phone.
Done when: every person has a paper copy and a copy saved in their phone.
Practice it
Ready.gov suggests regular household meetings to review and practice your plan. Run the practice game in the kids section.
Done when: everyone has played the practice game once and knows the answers.
Your one-page plan, on this page
Copy these headings onto a sheet of paper, one per household, or use Ready.gov's own family emergency plan form. Ready.gov suggests including household information, names and contacts of family members, meeting places and medical information.
| Plan item | What to write down |
|---|---|
| Household | Everyone's name, cell number, and where they usually are during the day (work, school, daycare) |
| Meeting place 1 | A spot right outside home, such as the mailbox or a neighbor's driveway |
| Meeting place 2 | A familiar place outside the neighborhood, such as a library or a relative's home |
| Out-of-area contact | Name and number of one person everyone checks in with |
| Local helpers | A neighbor and a nearby friend who could pick up children or check on pets |
| Alerts | Which alerts you get and where the radio is |
| Evacuation | Two destinations in different directions and the routes there |
| Medical | Medicines, allergies, doctors and pharmacy for each person |
| Pets | Pet-friendly places to stay and the vet's number |
| Kit | Where the emergency kit is and who grabs it |
The Red Cross also suggests a wallet-size emergency contact card for each family member, with work, school and cell numbers, carried every day.
How your family will hear warnings
Ready.gov explains that Wireless Emergency Alerts look like text messages but come with a unique sound and vibration repeated twice. You don't need to subscribe, they are free, they are not affected by network congestion, and children's phones receive them too. Some phones require you to enable them, and some carriers call them "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages."
- Turn on emergency alerts in each phone's settings (Ready.gov).
- Keep a NOAA Weather Radio, which broadcasts official warnings and forecasts 24 hours a day (Ready.gov).
- Consider the FEMA App, which can send weather alerts for up to five locations, such as home, school and a grandparent's town (Ready.gov).
- Sign up for alerts from your local emergency management agency (Ready.gov).
The out-of-area contact and "text, don't talk"
Ready.gov's advice for families is simple: pick someone out of town, because they may be easier to reach in a disaster, and text rather than call, because in an emergency phone lines may be tied up. The Red Cross agrees that it may be easier to text or call long distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service.
Everyone should carry emergency contact information in writing and saved on their cell phones (American Red Cross). Children who don't have phones need the paper version in a backpack. A first text can be as short as "Safe at school. Going to meeting place 2."
Teaching the plan to kids without a lecture
Keep the talk short and turn the rest into a game. Ready.gov's kids' page frames it as three questions: who will we contact, where will we meet, and practice, practice, practice.
A parent sets a kitchen timer and asks three quick questions. "The smoke alarm goes off. Where do we meet?" The children run to the mailbox. "We can't get home from school. Who do you text?" They say the aunt's name and show the number in their backpacks. "The power is out and it's dark. Where is the kit?" They find the closet and the flashlights. Each right answer earns a pick from the snack drawer, which settles the snack argument at the same time.
Repeat the game at your regular household meetings (Ready.gov). Let the kids help choose meeting place 2, so it feels like theirs.
Who does what: a table for your household
A plan works best when each person has one or two jobs. The Red Cross suggests identifying responsibilities for each member of your household. Here is an illustrative split for two adults and two children; change it to fit your family.
| Job | Who |
|---|---|
| Grab the emergency kit and medicines | Adult 1 |
| Leash the dog, carrier, pet bag | Adult 2 |
| Text the out-of-area contact | Whoever is free first |
| Carry flashlights; check everyone is at the meeting place | Older child |
| Bring the comfort item and stay with the adult | Younger child |
| Check on the elderly neighbor or relative | Adult 1, by phone or in person if safe |
Evacuation routes and where you would go
Ready.gov suggests identifying several places you could go, such as a friend's home in another town or a motel, in different directions so you have options. Learn your state and local evacuation plans and alternate routes, and remember that your route may be on foot depending on the type of disaster. If you have a car, keep at least a half tank of gas at all times, since gas stations may be closed or unable to pump during power outages (Ready.gov).
The Red Cross suggests practicing evacuating twice a year: grab your kit as in a real emergency, then drive your planned route, and plot alternate routes in case roads are blocked. Keep maps saved on phones and on paper. If time allows when you leave, Ready.gov suggests telling your out-of-state contact where you're going and leaving a note saying when you left and where you are headed.
Planning for older relatives and people with disabilities
Ready.gov suggests creating a support network of people who can help in a disaster, telling them where emergency supplies are kept, and considering giving a trusted member a key to the home. Many city and county emergency management agencies keep voluntary registries so people with disabilities can receive targeted assistance; ask your local office (Ready.gov). If someone uses powered medical equipment, Ready.gov suggests talking to their doctor and asking the power company about priority restoration.
Pets in the plan
Ready.gov says that if local officials ask you to evacuate, your pet should evacuate too, and warns that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. It suggests a buddy system with neighbors, friends or relatives who can care for or evacuate your pets if you can't. The Red Cross suggests keeping a phone list of pet-friendly hotels and animal shelters along your evacuation routes. The pet emergency kit guide covers supplies and shelters in detail.
Documents and the kit
A plan and a kit go together. Ready.gov's plan questions include whether your emergency kit needs updating, and its form records medical information for each person. Keep a copy of the plan in the kit, along with copies of key documents; the 72-hour kit checklist lists them, and the power outage kit covers what to keep for staying home without power.
Troubleshooting
- If the kids lose interest halfway through
- Stop after the two meeting places and the contact name. Practice those, and add the rest at the next household meeting.
- If you don't have an out-of-town relative
- Any trusted adult out of the area works: a friend, a cousin, a former neighbor. Ask them first and give them a copy of the plan.
- If calls won't go through during an emergency
- Send a short text instead and wait (Ready.gov). Try the out-of-area contact rather than local numbers.
- If a phone isn't getting emergency alerts
- Check the settings; some phones need alerts enabled, and older phones may not be capable. Ask your wireless provider if it still doesn't work (Ready.gov).
- If your evacuation destination won't take your dog
- Pick a second destination now, or ask a friend in the buddy system to host the dog (Ready.gov).
Free household plan
Your Household Reconnect Plan
Agree who to contact, where to meet and how to check the plan together. Get the six-page workbook and a printable seven-check sheet.
A communication starter for families and housemates, not a full emergency plan. In immediate danger, seek safety and call 911.
When to get help
Call for help if
- Anyone is hurt or in danger, or there is a fire: get out and call 911.
- A household member would need help evacuating: contact your local emergency management office now about resources and registries (Ready.gov).
- You are told to evacuate and don't know where to go: follow local officials' instructions and check the FEMA App for open shelters (Ready.gov).
Who to ask. In an emergency, call 911. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone feels dizzy, sick or confused, get everyone outside into fresh air first, then call 911. Report outages and downed power lines to your utility. For local hazards, shelters and alerts, contact your city or county emergency management office (start at Ready.gov).
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a family emergency plan?
How you will get alerts, your shelter plan, your evacuation route and your communication plan (Ready.gov), plus two meeting places, an out-of-area contact (American Red Cross), everyone's numbers, medical information, and plans for school, older relatives and pets. Write it on one page and give everyone a copy.
Why should we have an out-of-town contact?
An out-of-town person may be easier to reach in a disaster (Ready.gov), and the Red Cross notes it may be easier to text or call long distance when local lines are overloaded. Everyone checks in with the same person, so the family can find out who is safe without calling each other.
How often should we practice our family emergency plan?
Ready.gov suggests regular household meetings to review and practice, and updating the plan as your family's needs change. The Red Cross suggests practicing evacuating your home twice a year, including driving your planned route.
What if we are not together when an emergency happens?
That is what the plan is for. Each person goes to safety where they are, then texts the out-of-area contact, and you reunite at the agreed meeting place when it is safe. Make sure schools and daycare have your contact numbers (American Red Cross).
Sources
- Make A Plan, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Make a Plan (Ready Kids), Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Emergency Alerts, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Evacuation, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- People with Disabilities, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Prepare Your Pets for Disasters, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Make a Plan, American Red Cross (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Be Informed, American Red Cross (accessed October 28, 2026).
Plan, kit and pets, in order
The kits and plans section puts the family emergency plan, the 72-hour kit and the pet kit in field order.