Create a Household Emergency Plan Before You Need It

Everyone in your household should know four things: where to meet outside if you evacuate, who to call if separated, where the go-bag is, and how to shut off gas, water, and electricity. Run through the plan once — it doesn't need to be a drill, just a conversation. Write it down on a card and stick it on the fridge. Kids especially forget details under stress, so make it simple enough for a child to follow. The families who get through emergencies calmly are the ones who had a five-minute conversation before it happened.