Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it's important to prepare a plan in advance to know how you'll reconnect. Discuss with your household how you will get in touch with each other. Charge your communication devices, carry a power bank and charging cable with you.

• Create your Family Emergency Contacts list: Include contact information for all family members. Each family member should carry a copy.

• Plan where you will stay: Ask friends or relatives outside your area if you can stay with them if you need to evacuate in the future. If this is not an option, research hotels nearby. If you have pets, identify pet-friendly hotels ahead of time.

• Create an Emergency Support Network: Ask at least two people to be in your emergency support network: family, friends, neighbors, caregivers, coworkers, etc. They can relay messages, update you on the disaster status, and help you find resources. Also, pick an out-of-the-area friend or relative you can call or text during an emergency. It may be easier to make long distance calls during a disaster and they can help you communicate with those in your network.

• Choose Family Meeting Places: If you are asked to evacuate your home, or your area, select two safe locations where you can meet family, friends, and caregivers. One should be nearby and one should be a location outside your neighborhood.  Plan how you would travel to these safe meeting locations, have your emergency survival kit ready to go, and know your evacuation routes. 

Your emergency supply kit should have everything your household needs to take of yourselves for at least 3 days immediately following an emergency. Remember those in your household with special needs (e.g. babies, children, pets, the elderly, those dependent on medical equipment or medications, and those with access and functional needs.)

Add items to your emergency supply kit that best suit your needs. Consider having at least two emergency supply kits, one full kit at home and smaller portable kits in a vehicle or workplace. Be sure to store your kit in a place that is easy to reach and check and refresh your kit twice a year.

FOOD + SUPPLIES

• At least a 3-day supply of water and non-perishable food per person
• Complete change of clothes and shoes
• Can opener, paper cups, plates, plastic utensils, and paper towels

TOOLS + SAFETY ITEMS

• Flashlight and batteries
• Crank or battery-operated radio
• Cellphone chargers and backup batteries
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Wrench (to turn off utilities)
• Fire Extinguisher

MEDICAL NEEDS

• Prescription and non-prescription medications and glasses
• First Aid Kit

PERSONAL + COMFORT ITEMS

• Personal hygiene items and feminine supplies
• Sleeping bag and warm blanket for each person
• Books, puzzles, toys, and activities for children.
• Paper and pencil

EXTRA CASH

•  Cash and change (to cover fuel, lodging, and meals for your family for several days)

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

• Identification cards, insurance policies, bank account information, birth certificates, medical records, contact lists etc.

PET-FRIENDLY CHECKLIST

• Pet food and extra water (3-day supply)
• Medicine and First Aid kit
• Collar with ID tag and harness or leash
• Traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier
• Grooming and sanitation supplies
• Toys, treats, and bedding
• Description and current photos of pets

BABIES + CHILDREN

• Diapers and wipes
• Bottles and formula
• Child-specific medications, creams, etc.
• Baby food jars or pouches
• Portable crib and blankets
• Change of clothes and shoes

Ventura County Emergency Notification System:

VC Alert is an emergency notification system for Ventura County that is used to alert residents during an emergency. Before the next emergency, be sure to register and update your home or business address, landline, cell phone, email, and TTY device to receive emergency alerts. Alerts will be sent in both English and Spanish. Register at www.vcalert.org, (805) 648-9283, or vc.alert@ventura.org.

Local Emergency Resources:

Sign up for FREE Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training!

My Shake App: The My Shake App delivers earthquake early warning alerts for earthquakes
magnitude 4.5 and greater. My Shake keeps you informed about earthquakes and provides a quick way to contribute and see damage reports.

FEMA App: The FEMA App is a personalized disaster resource that can help you learn basic preparedness strategies. With the FEMA App, you can receive real-time weather updates from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. It can also help you find a nearby shelter if you need to evacuate and give you the tools you need to recover after a disaster.

Red Cross Emergency App: The Red Cross Emergency App combines more than 35 different types of severe weather and emergency alerts. You can choose the alerts that are most important to your location or the location of loved ones. The “Family Safe” feature allows you to notify loved ones that an alert has been issued in their area and check in to see if they are safe.

Weather Channel App: The Weather Channel App allows you to track daily weather forecasts, receive live radar updates, storm alerts, and local precipitation updates. Stay prepared during extreme weather events with live breaking news alerts sent to your mobile device.

All Apps are available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play and are also available in Spanish.

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