When a crisis hits, chaos moves fast. Families get separated. Phones fail. Roads clog. The people who stay safest are not the bravest or the loudest. They are the ones who planned ahead. This guide walks you through creating a family disaster safety plan for moments when you need to group up and get out. It focuses on clear communication, realistic go-bags, and choosing safe destinations before panic sets the rules.
If a crisis hits, panic is optional. A plan is not. This guide helps you build a family disaster safety plan that works even when phones fail, roads clog, and stress is high. The goal is simple: group up, communicate, and leave safely if needed.
You will build:
- A family emergency communication plan
- Clear meetup rules and locations
- Go-bags (“bug-out bags”) you can actually carry
- A primary safety spot and a backup destination
Skill Level: Beginner
This guide is designed for people with no prior emergency planning experience. It uses publicly available tools, simple checklists, and realistic steps that can be completed in short sessions. No specialized training, equipment, or prior knowledge is required. Families, roommates, and mutual aid households can implement this plan with basic supplies and shared communication.
Why This Matters
In a crisis, systems fail before people do. Cell networks overload. GPS goes down. Emergency services are delayed or unreachable. Families who have not planned often lose hours trying to locate each other, recover documents, or decide what to do next. Those hours can be dangerous.
A family disaster safety plan reduces panic and confusion. It creates shared expectations. Everyone knows where to go, who to contact, and what to grab. This matters because most injuries, separations, and long-term harm happen in the first chaotic window after a disaster begins. Planning ahead turns fear into action and uncertainty into coordination.
This is not about predicting the future. It is about reducing risk when the unexpected happens.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Set your “group up” rules
Keep this simple. Simple plans survive stress.
Decide in advance what triggers each level:
Level 1: Shelter
You stay home. Doors are secured. Supplies are checked.
Level 2: Meet up
Everyone goes to the designated local meetup spot.
Level 3: Evacuate
You leave the area and go to your safety destination.
Write these triggers in plain language. Examples include evacuation orders, extended power loss during dangerous temperatures, nearby violence, or environmental danger.
Helpful planning guidance: https://www.ready.gov/plan
Assign roles based on reality, not ideals:
- Communication lead
- Documents and medications lead
- Kids and pets lead
- Gear and grab-bin lead
Step 2: Build a family emergency communication plan
Phones fail. People get separated. A communication plan keeps families connected.
Your plan must include:
- One out-of-area contact everyone checks in with
- Printed contact cards for wallets and go-bags
- At least two ways to communicate (calls, texts, or a familiar app)
Use these trusted planning tools:
- Ready.gov family planning hub: https://www.ready.gov/plan
- Fillable family communication plan: https://www.ready.gov/plan-form
- Printable family communication PDF: https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/family-emergency-communication-planning-document.pdf
- Wallet contact cards (printable): https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/family-communication-plan_fillable-card.pdf
Print copies. Put one in every go-bag.
Step 3: Choose meetup locations
You need more than one option.
- Local meetup (walkable)
Choose a specific place everyone can reach on foot, such as:
- One neighbor’s porch
- One library entrance
- One exact spot in a park
Be precise. “The park” is not a plan.
2. Area meetup (if your neighborhood is unsafe)
Choose a location outside your immediate area, such as:
- A friend’s home
- A community center
- A specific hotel or shelter
3. Safety spot (leave town destination)
Choose:
- One primary destination
- One backup destination
Decide how you get there if highways are blocked.
Planning guidance: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html
Step 4: Build go-bags you can carry
A go-bag supports survival for at least 72 hours. It must be portable.
Basic rules:
- Keep weight under 20% of body weight
- Duplicate essentials across people
- Store bags near exits
- Overnight Backpacks work best
Core items per person:
- Water and water treatment
- Shelf-stable food
- Flashlight and batteries
- Battery or hand-crank radio
- Phone charger and power bank
- First-aid kit
- Medications
- Hygiene items
- Warm clothing and rain layer
- Copies of key documents
- Cash in small bills
- Gloves and mask
- Comfort item
Authoritative checklists:
- https://www.ready.gov/kit
- https://www.fema.gov/node/what-should-i-bring-me-when-i-evacuate-my-home-or-during-disaster
- https://www.cdc.gov/natural-disasters/psa-toolkit/build-an-emergency-kit.html
- https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html
Additional needs:
- Kids: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Family-Disaster-Supplies-List.aspx
- Infants: https://www.cdc.gov/infant-feeding-emergencies-toolkit/php/checklist.html
- Disabilities or medical needs: https://www.cdc.gov/children-and-school-preparedness/special-healthcare-needs/emergency-medical-kit.html
- Pets need food, water, meds, leashes, and records.
Step 5: Create a documents and medication pouch
This is the hardest thing to replace after a disaster.
Include copies of:
- IDs
- Insurance cards
- Medical information
- Prescriptions
- Emergency contacts
- Proof of address
Red Cross family disaster plan template
Step 6: Prepare a home grab bin
This is for the final minute before leaving.
Include:
- Extra water
- Extra food
- Blankets
- Tools
- Chargers
- Pet supplies
FEMA guidance on organizing supplies
Step 7: Practice and maintain the plan
Monthly:
- Check batteries
- Rotate food and meds
- Update contact info
Twice a year:
- Practice meeting at the local spot
- Everyone contacts the out-of-area person
Preparedness checklist
If you are not home when it happens
Everyone follows the same rule:
- Go to the local meetup if safe
- If not safe, contact the out-of-area person and move to the area meetup
This scenario is built into Ready.gov’s communication planning system: https://www.ready.gov/plan
Today’s To-Do List
- Choose your three trigger levels
- Pick local and area meetup spots
- Select a safety destination and backup
- Fill out the Ready.gov communication plan
- Pack at least one go-bag today
- Create the document pouch
- Put bags by the exit
- Schedule a monthly 10-minute check
A disaster plan is not about fear. It is about care. It is how you protect the people you love when systems fail and time disappears. You do not need a perfect setup or expensive gear. You need clarity, practice, and a plan everyone understands. Build it now. Review it often. When the moment comes, you will move with purpose instead of panic.