This summer, hundreds of fires across California have resulted in large-scale evacuations. Many people have been forced to leave their homes on short notice. Other disasters have forced people to stay inside, and no go outside until it is safe. Are you prepared to evacuate if you only have 5 minutes to spare? Are you prepared to stay home and not go to the store? Having a simple plan and emergency kit in place can help you prepare for large-scale and everyday emergencies. Here are 3 ways you can plan ahead for emergencies:

Keep Emergency Supplies

We have a full checklist of emergency supplies here. It's important to think about what your specific needs are when coming up with an emergency supplies kit. Talk to your doctor, and look at the items you use every day.

Have an Emergency Plan

In most emergency situations two things will happen 1) you have to stay in your home 2) you have to evacuate. It's important to have a plan for both situations. The plan you have to stay home (shelter-in-place) and the evacuation plan you have will be different. When you have diabetes, you also have to think about your medical needs and what you can and cannot do.

1. Create a Shelter-in-Place Plan: Do you have a radio to hear emergency information? Do you have supplies in an easy-to-reach area? Do you have an emergency contact list? Answer these questions and think about what you will need in order to safely stay in your home for 3-5 days. Gather supplies, and set up your house to make it a safe place.
2. Create an Evacuation Plan: Do you know where local shelters are in case you need to evacuate? Do you know where you would go in an evacuation? What could you take with you if you only had 5 minutes? Create a checklist for if you have 2 minutes to evacuate, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 1 day. What would you take with you in each instance?

Here are some resources to help you create a plan:

• Fact Sheet on Shelter in Place
• Stay Put - Learn How to Shelter in Place
• Pre-Evacuation Preparedness Steps
• Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs
  

Create a Communication Plan

Do you know where to get emergency information? Or who to contact if you need help? A communication plan is especially important if you have diabetes. You will want a list of local hospitals, emergency numbers, family members, and friends who you can get help from in an emergency. Some helpful resources to help you develop a plan:

• Family Emergency Communication Plan
• How to create a family communications plan for emergencies and disasters
• How to create a communication plan for your family

+++++How do you prepare for everyday emergencies and natural disasters? Let us know in the comments below.

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