A strong network of prepared people, families, and organizations is vital to our 
community’s successful response to any type of emergency event. Northeast 
Kansas is subject to a number of potential natural disasters such as tornados, 
flooding, winter storms and heat waves. There are also hazards from chemical 
or biological accidents, as well as acts of terrorism. In addition, a fast-spreading 
infectious disease may cause our health care system to be overwhelmed, and 
large portions of our workforce may be too sick to work. 
Who is responsible for the health and welfare of you and your family in an 
emergency or disaster? Emergency services and government agencies may 
not be able to respond to your needs immediately. Their buildings, equipment, 
personnel, communications, and mobility may be severely hampered by the 
event. 
So. . . Who is responsible for the health and welfare of you and your family in an 
emergency or disaster? YOU ARE! 
Individuals need to be prepared to survive on their own for a minimum of three 
days, and in some cases it may be necessary to stay home for 10 days. 
We cannot stop these disasters from occurring, but we can limit their impact 
on us and on those we love. Proper planning and preparation will help you 
and your family stay safe. The most important concept in developing a Family 
Preparedness Plan is communication. Every member of the family needs to be 
involved so when disaster strikes everyone will know what to do and how to 
keep in touch. A great deal depends on how well you manage the aftermath of a 
disaster and on how well you prepare now – before a disaster strikes. 
This booklet is intended to give you a format with suggestions about information 
you may want to include in a Family Preparedness Plan. This plan can be 
completed and saved as an electronic version, or print it and fill it in by hand. If 
filled in by hand, it is suggested that a pencil be used for future corrections to 
information contained in the document. Consider saving your family plan to a CD 
or flash drive so you can grab it and go with confidence that you have important 
information with you. Also included in this booklet is helpful information about 
water, food and utility issues you should consider prior to an emergency or 
disaster. 
Once your family is prepared, it is time to look to your neighbors. In times of 
disaster your neighbors will probably be the first ones available to come to your 
aid. Find out before disaster strikes what resources you share and how you can 
work together for the good of one another. Good luck! Don’t forget to review 
your plan every 6 months. 
About Your 
Family Preparedness Guide 
A strong network of prepared people, families, and organizations is vital to our 
community’s successful response to any type of emergency event. Northeast 
Kansas is subject to a number of potential natural disasters such as tornados, 
flooding, winter storms and heat waves. There are also hazards from chemical 
or biological accidents, as well as acts of terrorism. In addition, a fast-spreading 
infectious disease may cause our health care system to be overwhelmed, and 
large portions of our workforce may be too sick to work. 
Who is responsible for the health and welfare of you and your family in an 
emergency or disaster? Emergency services and government agencies may 
not be able to respond to your needs immediately. Their buildings, equipment, 
personnel, communications, and mobility may be severely hampered by the 
event. 
So. . . Who is responsible for the health and welfare of you and your family in an 
emergency or disaster? YOU ARE! 
Individuals need to be prepared to survive on their own for a minimum of three 
days, and in some cases it may be necessary to stay home for 10 days. 
We cannot stop these disasters from occurring, but we can limit their impact 
on us and on those we love. Proper planning and preparation will help you 
and your family stay safe. The most important concept in developing a Family 
Preparedness Plan is communication. Every member of the family needs to be 
involved so when disaster strikes everyone will know what to do and how to 
keep in touch. A great deal depends on how well you manage the aftermath of a 
disaster and on how well you prepare now – before a disaster strikes. 
This booklet is intended to give you a format with suggestions about information 
you may want to include in a Family Preparedness Plan. This plan can be 
completed and saved as an electronic version, or print it and fill it in by hand. If 
filled in by hand, it is suggested that a pencil be used for future corrections to 
information contained in the document. Consider saving your family plan to a CD 
or flash drive so you can grab it and go with confidence that you have important 
information with you. Also included in this booklet is helpful information about 
water, food and utility issues you should consider prior to an emergency or 
disaster. 
Once your family is prepared, it is time to look to your neighbors. In times of 
disaster your neighbors will probably be the first ones available to come to your 
aid. Find out before disaster strikes what resources you share and how you can 
work together for the good of one another. Good luck! Don’t forget to review 
your plan every 6 months. 
About Your 
Family Preparedness Guide