Family emergency planning and home safety

Household contacts, an out-of-area contact, two meeting places, school details, and where the water shutoff, first aid supplies and important documents are kept. Review it twice a year.

Keep medicines in their original labeled packaging, stored up high and out of sight in a place children cannot reach, and check expiration dates twice a year. Your pharmacist can advise on disposal.

The FDA recommends a drug take-back program or pharmacy kiosk where available. If there is none, it explains how to put most medicines in household rubbish, and keeps a short list of medicines that should be flushed.

Ready.gov’s basic kit includes water (one gallon per person per day for several days), non-perishable food, a radio, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, a whistle and tools to turn off utilities. Add medicines, baby supplies, pet food and copies of important documents.

Ready.gov says a closed fridge keeps food cold for about four hours and a full freezer for about 48 hours (24 if half full). Throw away refrigerated food that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.

Birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, wills, deeds and insurance policies. Keep originals in a fire-resistant, waterproof box and secure copies elsewhere.

Your phone numbers and a backup contact, emergency numbers and your address, each child’s allergies, routines and bedtime, house rules and where the first aid kit and flashlights are.