The City of Philadelphia wants you to be prepared for any emergency. Here's what you need to have in your head, in your home, and in your hand. Planning now and knowing what to do will make it easier for you and your family if an emergency occurs. Work out an emergency plan for your household. Be ready to Shelter in Place. Be ready to evacuate.
Purchase your preparedness kit at the Red Cross Store now!
Are you ready, or not?
Be Ready to Shelter in Place
Shelter in Place means to stay indoors.
Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, there may be situations when it's simply best to stay where you are.
- When evacuation is inappropriate or impossible, officials may instruct you to stay where you are
If you must Shelter in Place:
- Identify a room with few doors or windows
- Ideally, the room should be above street level, allow enough room for everyone in your household, have access to a water supply and bathroom facilities, and have a phone jack
- Act quickly and follow instructions. Your main objective should be to get to a safe indoor location.
- Close and lock all windows and doors, and close fireplace dampers
- Turn off all heating and cooling systems such as air conditioners and window exhaust fans, if told to do so by officials
- Listen to KYW 1060 AM radio for further instructions
- Make use of your Shelter in Place Kit
- Only seal doors and windows when instructed to do so by emergency officials. If instructed, cover cracks along doors and windows with tape, wet rags or towels.
- Keep your pets with you
- Follow all instructions from officials, such as covering your mouth and nose with a wet cloth or handkerchief
- If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 to let the Police and Fire Departments know you need special help
Make a Shelter in Place Kit.
- Keep enough supplies in your home to get by on your own for at least three days. Keep your Kit in a special place in your home, where you can get to it easily.
- Tell everyone in your house that these supplies are for emergencies only
- Check the expiration dates of food and batteries in your Shelter in Place Kit when you change your clocks for daylight saving times
What to have in your home
Items for Your Shelter in Place Kit:
- One gallon of drinking water per person per day
- Food that will not spoil easily, ready-to-eat canned foods
- Manual can opener and eating utensils
- First-aid kit
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Battery-operated AM/FM radio and extra batteries (you can also buy wind-up radios that do not require batteries)
- Whistle to signal for help
- Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach and an eyedropper
- Disinfect water ONLY if directed to do so by health officials. To disinfect water with bleach, add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water
- Personal care items: soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, feminine products, toilet paper and wipes.
- Phone that does not need electricity (just plugs into a phone jack)
- Child care supplies or other special care items
Officials will notify you by radio when the emergency is over. Only then should you open all doors and windows to let fresh air into your home.
Be Ready to Evacuate
Evacuate means that you must leave
Some emergencies may require that you leave your home and travel go to an emergency shelter. Plan how you will assemble your family and anticipate where you will go.
If you must evacuate, here is what you need to do:
- Stay calm. Do exactly what officials tell you to do.
- Listen to KYW 1060 AM radio for instructions
- Grab your Go Bag
- Stay inside your home until officials tell you it is okay to leave. Lock all doors and windows. When told, leave in an orderly fashion.
- If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 to let the Police and Fire Departments know you need special help
- Officials may ask you to drive your car, go with a neighbor, or go to a place to get on a bus
- Whether officials tell you to evacuate or Shelter in Place will depend upon conditions in your area. If you are not told to evacuate, you should Shelter in Place.
Grab Your GO BAG
Prepare a Go Bag for your household.
- A Go Bag is a kit of things you'll need if officials tell you to evacuate
- Your Go Bag should be easy to carry – a backpack or small suitcase on wheels
- Keep your Go Bag in a place where you can get to it easily, in case you have to leave in a hurry
What to have in your hand
Items for your Go Bag:
- Copies of your important documents (insurance cards, photo IDs, proof of address, etc.) in a waterproof and portable container
- Extra set of car and house keys
- Credit and ATM cards
- Cash, especially in small bills like ones, fives and tens
- Bottled water and food that will not easily perish spoil, such as energy or granola bars
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Wind up or battery-operated AM/FM radio, and extra batteries
- Medication. Be sure to refill medications before they expire. Keep a list of the medications each member of your household takes, why they take them, and their dosages.
- Personal care items: soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, feminine hygiene products
- Child care supplies or other special care items
- First-aid kit
- Sturdy, comfortable shoes, lightweight raingear, and a mylar blanket
- Contact and meeting place information for your household
- Small regional map