At the start of hurricane season annually, it is suggested to host a family meeting with all members of the household to plan out communications and understand the hazards of a hurricane. 

To create a comprehensive plan for your family or business, visit:  

• FloridaDisaster.org/PlanPrepare, from the State of Florida Disaster Management
• Ready.gov also offers a great resource to make your Family Emergency Communications Plan
• Download the following checklist as a printable PDF

Understanding Hurricane Hazards

☐ Discuss with children the dangers of fire, flooding, heavy winds, and severe weather that are possible as part of a hurricane.

☐ Discuss how to respond to each scenario that could occur.

☐ Discuss what to do about power outages and personal injuries.

Preparing the Home

☐ Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two (2) escape routes from each room.

☐ Learn how to turn off the water, gas and electricity at main switches or valves.

☐ Document your home and valuables by taking photos/video. Secure the records in a water/fire-proof container.

☐ Discuss who will assist with securing your home and how you will plan to assist any family members who may need assistance.

☐ Make a plan for any pets. If needed, pre-register for the Pet-friendly shelter at 954-989-3977. (Pet owners must stay at the shelter with their pets.)

☐ Make a plan to secure/protect vehicles (cars, boats, recreational vehicles)

☐ Pre-register for special needs assistance if you or a family member may need special medical assistance during an emergency. (Call 311 or 954-831-4000.)

Emergency Communications

☐ Teach children the proper use of the 911 system; including how and when to call for police and fire emergencies.

☐ Post emergency telephone numbers near phones.

☐ Choose one out-of-state and one local friend or relative for family members to call if separated by disaster. Make sure all household members save the contacts on their phones. Notify the designated contacts to inform them that they are the main point of contact for your family.

Planning for After the Storm

☐ Pick two meeting places that everyone is aware of should you become separated during a storm/disaster emergency:

☐ Learn about emergency plans for your children's school or day care center.

☐ Take a basic first aid and CPR course.

☐ Keep family records, insurance documents and other important papers in a water/fire-proof container.

☐ Stock up on supplies for your family’s Emergency Supply Kit throughout the hurricane season.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer