Planning Ahead

Each year, disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives and can have lasting effects on people and property. Disasters and emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere without advance notice. The time to prepare is before disaster strikes.

In a disaster, local first responders and disaster-relief organizations may not be able to reach everyone quickly or may need to focus their efforts elsewhere. Therefore, residents and their families need to be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours or until help arrives.

By planning ahead and being prepared, residents can diminish the potential impact of a disaster and determine how quickly they can recover from the event.