The best time to prepare for an emergency is before it happens. Print out the checklists and information sheets below and keep copies in an easy-to-reach location for immediate reference.
Make a Plan
After a major disaster, it is unlikely that emergency response services will be able to immediately respond to everyone's needs, so it's important to be prepared. The Make a Plan checklist will help you and your family prepare for an emergency.
- For more information on what to include in a pet plan and kit, see the Animal Care and Control website
- To stay connected with your family after a locally declared disaster, register yourself on the Safe and Well website , which is a service provided by the American Red Cross. Through this site, you can post messages to your family and they will know that you are safe and well.
Build a Kit
After a major disaster the usual services we take for granted, such as running water, refrigeration, and telephones may be unavailable. The Build a Kit checklist will enable you and your family to be self-sufficient for at least three days.
Be Prepared at Work
This checklist will help you in the event that a disaster strikes while you are at work.
- To ensure that you continue to be paid and receive payroll information in a timely fashion following a disaster, Enroll in Direct Deposit and Paystub Online today .
- For information on opening a bank account, call 211 for the Bank on San Francisco program.
DSW Job Categories and Examples of Duties
This one page document provides an overview of what to expect as a disaster service worker.
Phone tips from 72hours.org
- Plan for how you will communicate with loved ones after a disaster.
- Long-distance phone lines often work before local phone lines, so identify an out-of-state contact and provide this person with the contact information of people you want to keep informed of your situation. Share this information with your family and friends locally.
- Avoid making non-urgent phone calls after a disaster – even if phone lines are un-damaged, increased phone traffic can jam phone circuits. Cordless phones or phone systems require electricity; make sure you have a backup phone that requires no electricity.
- Keep coins in your Go-bag. Payphones may work before other phone lines.
- Don’t count on your cell phone - increased traffic on cell phone networks can quickly overload wireless capacity.
- Record an outgoing message on your voicemail so that callers can be re-assured of your safety status.
- Learn how to use text messaging. It uses a different part of the cell phone network and it might be possible to send and receive text messages when voice channels for mobile phones and land lines are jammed.
- Register your email addresses and wireless devices (mobile phones, pagers and PDAs) at AlertSF.org . When possible, the City will send text alerts about potential hazards and/or post disaster information. Examples include tsunami warnings and local disaster shelter locations.
- After an earthquake, check all your telephones to be sure they have not shaken off the hook and are tying up a line.
Additional Resources
- 72 Hours.org
- Alert SF
- American Red Cross
- California Office of Emergency Services
- Infectious Disease Emergency Resources
- Ready.gov
- San Francisco Department of Emergency Management: Division of Emergency Services
- San Francisco Citizen Corps Council
- San Francisco Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) training
- US Department of Homeland Security
Additional Training
Employee Payroll Services
- Direct Deposit Information (hosted by the City Controller)
- Bank on San Francisco Program