ORLANDO, Fla. – Every hurricane season, we hear about the importance of having a plan in place in case of an emergency. While that’s true, it’s important to note that the same plan won’t work for everyone.
[BUILD YOUR PLAN: Click here to use the free tool]
When disaster strikes, people are asked to prioritize the people and things that are most important to them, and they’re asked to do it in very little time.
In an effort to help you avoid making those decisions under pressure, there’s now a tool that will help you build a plan according to your priorities.
[DOWNLOAD: News 6 Hurricane Preparedness Checklist]
Let’s walk you through how to use it.
Step 1
First, start by visiting FloridaDisaster.org’s Get a Plan page.
Step 2
From there, you’ll select the type of plan you’d like to build:
- Family plan
- Business plan
- Special needs plan
Of course, you may need more than one plan if, let’s say, you’re both a parent and a business owner. But let’s start with one at a time.
Family plan
This one is an easy, four-step process that will help you develop a plan specific to where you live.
- Step 1: Enter your address and select your county and state.
- Step 2: Describe the members of your household. Be sure to mention the number of children and elderly adults and specify whether anyone with special needs lives in your home.
- Step 3: List the number and types of pets that live in your household.
- Step 4: Identify an out-of-town contact that all family members know how to contact in case of an emergency. This is also where you’ll determine and list a meeting location away from home.
After filling out all of the required fields, click “generate plan.” From here, you can view your plan, email or download it to share it with loved ones to make sure you’re all on the same page if and when disaster strikes.
Business plan
This one is also a quick, four-step process.
- Step 1: Fill in the basic contact information for your business.
- Step 2: List as many important contacts and suppliers as you can think of who you may need to reach in the event of an emergency.
- Step 3: If your business has any alternative locations, list them during this step.
- Step 4: Make note of any important records and resources that your business relies on to operate.
After filling out all of the required fields, click “generate plan.” Once your plan is complete, you can view it, download it or email it to share it with employees.
*Side note, just for some peace of mind: “Any information provided through this website for the purposes of building your emergency plan is exempt from public records requests made of the [Emergency Management] Division and is only used for the express purpose of allowing visitors to this website to build and maintain plans.
Special needs plan
This five-step process will provide a plan for those with special needs to follow during an emergency.
- Step 1: Fill out your home information.
- Step 2: Describe the members of your household. Be sure to mention the number of children and elderly adults and specify whether anyone with special lives in your home.
- Step 3: List the number of types of pets that live in your household.
- Step 4: Identify an out-of-town contact that all family members know how to contact in case of an emergency. This is also where you’ll determine and list a meeting location away from home.
- Step 5: Make note of any disabilities, chronic health issues or other medical situations that require assistance in the event of a disaster. This is also where you’ll select whether you regularly rely on any special services for any reason.
After filling out all of the required fields, click “generate plan.” From here, you can view your plan, email or download it to share it with loved ones to make sure you’re all on the same page if and when disaster strikes.
Step 3
Thanks to the tool, creating the plan was quick and easy. Now, it’s time to make copies of it, share it, make sure you’re familiar with it by doing practice run-throughs with your loved ones and hope that you’ll never have to execute it, but that you’re prepared in the event that you do.
For more tips and resources to help you prepare for hurricane season, visit ClickOrlando.com/hurricane.