Contact your local National Weather Service office, emergency management or civil defense office, and American Red Cross chapter. Find out what type of disasters could occur in your area and how you should respond. Learn your community's warning signals and evacuation plans.
Discuss the information you have gathered. Pick two places to meet: A spot outside your home for an emergency such as a fire, and a place away from your neighborhood in case you can't return home. Choose an out-of-state friend as your "family check-in contact" for everyone to call if the family gets separated. Discuss what you would do if advised to evacuate.
Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least 3 days. Assemble a disaster supplies kit* with items you may need in case of an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers. Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep a small disaster kit in the trunk of your car.
Ask questions to make sure your family remembers meeting places, phone numbers, and safety rules. Conduct drills. Test your smoke detectors and change the batteries at least once a year. Test and recharge your fire extinguisher(s) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Replace stored water and food every 6 months.