Preparation & Planning

Make sure your family has a plan for a disaster. How to contact the others, where each will go – including backup plans – and what each will do in an emergency.

Los Angeles Fire Department:
The LAFD Emergency Preparedness Booklet (formerly known as the Ostrich Book) is available.
Also available in Spanish.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Personal Hygiene and Handwashing After a Disaster or Emergency

America’s PrepareAthon! (FEMA):
America’s PrepareAthon! is a grassroots campaign for action to increase community preparedness and resilience. Join others around the country to practice your preparedness!

Los Angeles Unified School District:
School Emergency Information for Parents
The safety of children is the top priority in the Los Angeles Unified School District during a disaster! We plan and prepare for various emergency situations and work to mitigate hazards in and around our schools. Schools hold regular emergency drills, covering fire, earthquake, chemical spill and dangerous person scenarios annually.
Find out about:
How We Prepare for Emergencies
School Response to Emergencies:
Communicating with the School during an Emergency
Family Reunification Following an Emergency

California Volunteers:
Make sure your family has a plan for a disaster. Have it serve as a guide for each of your family members. Include in it how each will get in contact with the others, where each will go – including backup plans – and what each will do in an emergency. Keep a copy of this plan in your disaster supply kit and another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster.
Click on one of the links below to begin. It will open a form in Adobe Acrobat. Keep the form open and type your and your family’s information into the boxes on the form. When you are done, print at least two copies using Adobe Acrobat.
Download Family Disaster Plan Only
Fill out the information in the form about your family members, emergency contacts, family meeting place, etc.
Download Family Disaster Plan and Customized Children’s Book
The information you entered into your family plan will automatically customize your children’s book – another great tool to help your family and child become disaster prepared.

Earthquake County Alliance:
Earthquake Country – Information
Download several booklets of Earthquake Information Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country can be read online, downloaded or you can request free copies. It is available in English and Spanish.

National Association of Professional Organizers-San Francisco Bay Area:
Disaster Preparedness Calendar
Using this calendar, your family can assemble an emergency kit in small steps over a six-month period.

American Red Cross:
Disaster Barrel
One suggested method for storing emergency supplies is to place them in a large, covered trash container.
Also available in
Chinese
Japanese
Spanish
Tagalog and
Vietnamese.

American Red Cross:
Disaster Recovery: A Guide to Financial Issues
This booklet is written to help you regain financial balance following a disaster by suggesting steps to take now and in the future.

Credit Critics:
Home Safety Guide – Natural Disasters

Los Angeles County Public Health:
Your Guide to Public Health Emergency Planning
Also available in
Arabic
Armenian
Cambodian
Chinese
Farsi
Korean
Russian
Spanish
Tagalog
Thai and
Vietnamese.