What would you do in the event of a major flood, man-made disaster, power outage, toxic spill, or health-related quarantine?  Could you survive on your own for the first 72 hours after a major disaster or emergency? 

The 72 Crew Awareness and Preparedness campaign is dedicated to helping you and your family Be Prepared . . . Not Scared. Click on Get Involved to learn how your community can be 72 Crew Certified.

Immediate risk:
If you smell gas, smoke or see fire or otherwise fear for your safety, evacuate household occupants immediately.  From a safe location, call 9-1-1 and report the incident.

General evacuation orders:
If local officials issue evacuation orders, use the evacuation routes and methods specified; carpool whenever possible. If time allows:

• Wear sturdy shoes, long-sleeve shirts and pants.
• Bring car keys, credit cards, road maps, cell phone, charger and important phone numbers.
• Bring your Go-bag.
• If you have a pet, make sure it is wearing a collar, bring it in a pet carrier labeled with your name and the pet’s name. Bring your pet’s Go-bag.
• Lock your home and shut off the water and electricity, but leave gas on unless instructed otherwise.
• Leave a note or tell a neighbor where you are going.
• Once you arrive at a safe location, call your out-of-area emergency contact.

Disaster Shelters
Immediately following a large disaster, suitable shelter sites will be selected from a predesignated list based on areas of need and estimated numbers of displaced persons. Each site must be inspected for safety prior to being opened to the public. Therefore, it is not possible to say with advance certainty which sites will actually operate as disaster shelters. As soon as disaster sites have been formally designated, this list will be announced through local media to the public. If it is unsafe to shelter-in-place, and you do not have an alternative, evacuate to a designated emergency shelter.

• Tell your out-of area-contact where you are going.
• Take your Go-bag with you to the shelter.
• Initially, emergency shelters may not be able to provide basic supplies and materials. Consider bringing extra items (e.g., blanket, pillow, air mattress, towel, washcloth, diapers, food and supplies for infants.)
• Provide for your pets: only service animals are allowed in “human” shelters. If you cannot make other plans for your pets, Animal Care and Control staff will be available at “human” shelters to help with pet sheltering needs.

Evacuation occurs only when a serious threat to public safety exists. If you are told to evacuate, through either local media or directly by city officials, do so immediately.

Be prepared:

• Plan several different places you could go and find out where designated shelters are in your area.
• Know the evacuation plans for important locations (i.e., work, school, etc.)
• Hotels and motels fill up fast during evacuations. Call to make sure there is room for you and your family before driving there.
• Keep phone numbers and maps for each potential evacuation location.
• Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing.
• Take your Go Bag.
• Lock your house.
• Leave a note telling people when you left and where you are going.
• Use authorized routes.
• When you are safe, call your out-of-area contact and let him or her know where you are.