Yesterday I talked about how deciding to do something; and actually doing something are two very different things. We all know that the road paved with good intentions leads nowhere that we'd like to end up; regretting not having taken action as well.

If you have not yet done so already, you can still start today by kicking off National Preparedness Month, and joining the National Preparedness Coalition, and making a Pledge to Prepare. You can join the Coalition here:

http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/READYNPM

Today we are going to talk briefly about developing a Family Emergency Plan. Before an emergency happens, sit down together and decide how you will get in contact with each other, what you will do if you cannot contact each other, and where you will go and what you will do in an emergency.

The keys to developing a Family Emergency Plan are to:

(1) Develop the plan together.

(2) Write the Plan down, and make sure everyone in the family has a copy of the plan or in the case of children, the plan can be accessed for them by caregivers, school staff, or other responsible adults.

(3) Make sure that the plan is reviewed and updated regularly; at least once per year, and National Preparedness Month could be a good time do that.

You can access a Family Emergency Plan template here:

http://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Family_Emegency_Plan.pdf

As this week unfolds, we'll walk through some aspects of a Family Emergency Plan and why they are important, as well as ways that you might customize this plan to better meet your family needs.

For now; stay safe, and tomorrow we'll talk about steps to take as you get ready to begin to develop your Family Emergency Plan.