Individual and Family Preparedness

Family preparedness begins with a Family Communications Plan - a common out-of-region point of contactThere are many preparedness guides, but in this section of our web site we will recommend Vashon-specific information - and the best sources of information from King County, the state of Washington, and FEMA for individuals and familes.

Steps to Family Preparedness

  1. Learn the pertinent risks (i.e., most likely or potentially severe) to your family
  2. Make a Family Emergency Plan/Emergency Contact card and sign up for alerts
  3. Create a Go Kit with critical supplies for 36 hours. Store one in each car.
  4. Create a 10 day cache of emergency supplies. (On Vashon we recommend 10 days, triple the national recommendation. We could be isolated during an emergency and it may take longer for help to reach our rural area.)
  5. Prepare your livestock and pets too.
  6. Join with neighbors and close friends to create a Neighborhood Emergency Response Organization (NERO) to provide resiliency if you are hurt or stranded away from your family, pets and livestock.
  7. Retrofit your house to increase its survivability during quakes and storms.
  8. Consider earthquake insurance, but be aware of earthquake policy limitations.

Community Preparedness Videos

VashonBePrepared periodically conducts community preparedness talks that focus on the unique situation Vashon and Maury Island residents, workers and guests face. Fortunately these were recorded in March 2018 by Peter Ray of Voice of Vashon so you can watch at your convenience:
 

Local Resources

 

Family Preparedness Links

Key Online Resources

Are you ready?

Many rural residents already know how to be prepared!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the Family Emergency Preparedness Test to see if you and your family members are ready for what we all know is coming sooner or later, a major earthquake. Creating a Family Plan is an important part of your preparation for disaster. Take our test to see how well prepared you are.

View VashonBePrepared's Online Disaster Terms Glossary.

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