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Create a household emergency plan

A plan is a set of decisions your household has already made. It should fit on a few pages, be understood by everyone and remain useful when phones or internet access fail.

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From AidWorkers Humanitarian experience applied at homeEvidence base 4 named sourcesReviewed 25 July 2026

Why this matters

Start with people, not equipment. Work out where everyone may be, how you will reconnect and who needs help. Include school, work, care, travel and custody arrangements rather than assuming the household will be together.

Create a stay plan and a leave plan. Record trusted contacts, two meeting places, transport options, animal arrangements and where essential information is kept. Share only what each person needs and protect sensitive details.

Before disruption

Prepare now

  • Choose one meeting place close to home and another outside the immediate area.
  • Nominate an out-of-area contact who may be easier for separated people to reach.
  • Write down important numbers, medicine information and practical roles on paper.
  • Agree what would trigger evacuation and where you could go for one night or longer.
  • Practise one scenario, note what failed and update the plan without blaming anyone.

When it is happening

Protect the next decision

  1. Follow official instructions first, then use the household plan to allocate tasks.
  2. Send one concise status message with location, safety and next contact time.
  3. Use the agreed meeting place only if the route and destination remain safe.
  4. Change the plan openly when conditions change and make sure everyone receives the update.

Plan for real people

Access, care and inclusion

  • Give children simple roles and make sure they know which trusted adults may collect them.
  • Record access, medication, communication and equipment needs in the person’s preferred words.
  • Include carers, support workers, neighbours, separated families, regular visitors and animals.
  • Make copies that are readable, portable and safe to share with the right people.

Mental readiness

Protect morale and clear thinking

  • A brief practice makes the unknown feel more familiar and exposes problems while they are easy to fix.
  • Use calm language such as first, next and if this changes. Clear sequences help under pressure.
  • End each practice with something normal and reassuring, especially for children.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

  • Keeping the only copy on a phone that may be flat, locked or lost.
  • Creating an elaborate plan that household members have never seen or practised.
  • Publishing home addresses, medical details or travel plans where strangers can access them.

Evidence and review

Sources behind this guide

Prepare Now uses authoritative government, humanitarian and public-health material as a starting point. Source advice can be specific to a country, hazard or date, so check the current version for your location.

Continue preparing

Understand your riskIdentify the hazards, service failures and personal circumstances most likely to affect your household.Evacuation & grab bagsDecide when and how to leave, where to go and what each person can realistically carry.Children & young peopleBuild safety, understanding, reunification and emotional support without creating unnecessary fear.

Editorial status: first staging edition. Safety-critical instructions will receive specialist and jurisdiction review before public launch.