Emergency Planning for Communities

Guide to Emergency Planning for Communities

The number of emergencies and disasters in the United States each year is increasing, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Anne Arundel County faces many hazards. Some are difficult to predict; a few strike without any warning at all. In the past several years, our community has responded to major storms, hurricanes, and power outages. Instead of thinking “it will never happen to me,” Anne Arundel County’s Office of Emergency Management developed this Guide to Emergency Planning for Communities to help citizens of Anne Arundel County prepare for an emergency or disaster, so you know what to do when an emergency or disaster strikes. The Guide to Emergency Planning for Communities is broken down into manageable components so citizens can tailor their Community Emergency Plans to however they need. There are also three appendices, which are:

Appendix A: Household and Pet Emergency Plan Templates

Appendix B: Community Survey

Appendix C: Community Emergency Plan Template

 By reading the Guide to Emergency Planning for Communities and its three appendices, you will: 

• Learn how to form a Community Emergency Group;
• Identify community members with special skills, knowledge, and resources;
• Learn how to develop your own Community Emergency Plan by following a step-by-step process;
• Write and test your Community Emergency Plan;
• Develop a Communications Plan;
• Develop a Household Emergency Plan;
• Build an Emergency Kit;
• Develop an Emergency Plan for Pets; and
• Conduct a Community Survey to gather community demographics to develop your Community’s Emergency Plan.

With planning and preparation, you can make a difference. You can reduce an emergency or disaster’s impacts on you, your family, and your community. You can save lives, homes, and livelihoods. By reading this far, you have already taken the first step in preparing for the unexpected. Now it is time to make a plan, build a kit, and help prepare your household and community for the next emergency or disaster!