Family emergency plan

A plan everyone knows

by Joe Miller

Supplies don't help if your family is split up and can't reach each other. A one-page plan, practiced twice a year, fixes that.

Make your plan in an evening1WhoEveryone in the house,plus kids' schools andwork2ContactsAn out-of-town contacteveryone calls3Meeting placesOutside the house; outsidethe neighborhood4EvacuationTwo routes out; whereyou'd go5PracticeFire drill and anevacuation drill
Write it on one page; give everyone a copy.
Documents to copy and protectIDs and passportsCopies of eachInsurance policiesHome, auto, healthDeeds and titlesHouse and vehiclesMedical recordsMedicines, allergies,vaccinesBirth and marriageCertificates$Bank and accountsNumbers and phone numbersPhotos of your homeFor insurance claimsFamily photosTo help find a lost childEncrypted USB driveScans of everythingFire-safe boxOriginals at home
Grab the folder or USB drive on your way out.
Don't forgetChildrenSchool pickup plansOlder relativesMedicines, mobility,check-insPetsCarriers, food, records,leashMedical needsPower for equipmentNeighborsWho might need help
Plan for everyone, including pets.
🔒 Members guides ($15 a month): a one-year food plan, long-term water, gardening, livestock, canning, hunting and fishing, off-grid power, a bug-out location, nuclear and EMP, pandemics, barter, and community, plus five more tests and the monthly newsletter. Membership opening soon

Sources

Checked November 11, 2026.