Sacramento Ready

Personal and Family Preparedness is Critical

The Office of Emergency Services is responsible for coordinating plannings for all types of emergencies. Part of our planning assumptions include residents preparing family plans of their own. 

For a list of emergency plans and after action reports, please visit the Sacramento OES site.

Being ready for disasters is more than having batteries for a radio and food in your pantry.  It involves evaluating the risks that are likely to happen within our community and to identify ways you can avoid those risks, or be ready for them. Here are some recommendations:

Financial Preparedness for Emergencies

1. Gather financial and critical personal, household, and medical information.
2. consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis.  Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATM's and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.
3. Obtain property (flood, homeowners, or renters), health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Review existing policies for the amount and extent of coverage to ensure that what you have in place is what is required for you and your family for all possible hazards. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
4. Take time to download and complete the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit.

Make a Plan

Step 1:  Put together a plan by discussing these 4 questions with your family, friends, or household to start your emergency plan.

• How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
• What is my shelter plan?
• What is my evacuation route?
• What is my family/household communication plan?

Step 2:  Consider specific needs in your household.

Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets, or specific needs like the operation of durable medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you would need assistance. Keep in mind some of these factors when developing your plan:

• Different ages of members within your household
  
• Responsibilities for assisting others
• Locations frequented
• Dietary needs
• Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
• Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
  
• Languages spoken
• Cultural and religious considerations
• Pets or service animals​
  
  
• Households with school-aged children

Step 3: Fill out a Family Emergency Plan

Download and fill out a family emergency plan or use them as a guide to create your own.

Step 4:  Practice your plan with your family/household.