Family-safety guide · Preparedness
Family Emergency Planning: The Plan, The Kit, The Drill
Emergencies are easier to face when they’re already planned. A family emergency plan takes one evening to build and one drill to practice — and it is the difference between scrambling and knowing.
Reviewed & updated · August 2026
Start here
A calm, do-it-together starting point.
Build the plan together
Emergency contacts, two meeting spots (near your home and outside your neighborhood), and one out-of-area contact everyone knows.
Assemble the kit
Water, food, light, radio, first aid, medications, important documents, pet supplies — a go-bag for the car and a kit for the home.
Practice the drill
Run the escape plan and the meeting spot twice a year. Kids who practice once remember it when it matters.
Keep it current
Update contacts and medications after every big change — a new address, a new school year, a new baby.
Want a specialist to walk your home with you? The Guardian Nest assessment turns this guide into a personalized Family Protection Plan™.
Get the preparedness workbookRelated guidance
Explore all family-safety guides