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Get ready: Plan and prepare for an emergency with your family

Captain Chaos tries to bring disasters to families. His destruction is no match against families who are prepared!

Be Informed

Communicating with family members is essential to make sure everyone is okay. To prepare for an emergency, have a simple plan that accounts for limited cell phone service, texting, and e-mails. Make sure everyone in your family has a mutual contact out of the region or state. This person can act as a contact point for you and your loved ones.

  • Sign up for Emergency Alerts:
    • Check with your local city or town public safety office to see if it uses an alert system and what you might need to do to sign up
    • Check with your kids’ school(s) to determine if they use an alert system and how you would get notified in the event of an emergency
    • Find out if your workplace has any sort of emergency alerting system and how they would contact you if an emergency occurs
    • Identify any other locations where your or your loved ones might spend a lot of time or take part in activities and ask about their alert and warning systems
  • Prepare a Family Emergency Communications Plan
  • Stay engaged through social media:
  • Visit MA 211 for information on essential community services.

Plan Ahead

Think about your family’s health needs, vulnerabilities, and capabilities when you make your emergency preparedness plan. Whether you are sheltering-in-place or evacuating to a different location, a plan will help keep you and your family safe.

Make a plan for: 

Additional tips:

Be Prepared

Every home should have a basic emergency preparedness kit that can be used for any emergency. Store your kit in an area that is dry and easy to get to. Review your kit every six months to identify and replace outdated supplies. While some items should be in everyone’s kit, it is important to adapt the kit for the needs of you and your family.

Download a free emergency kit checklist and customize to your specific needs. These downloadable forms include: 

Printed copies of the brochure are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. To order copies, please visit the Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse.

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