Locate those organizations in your area who deal with emergencies and contact them for a current and local list of resources. You do not have to re-invent the wheel, it has been done for you. Your police station should have a copy of the area's evacuation plan and disaster plan. The Red Cross has multiple online preparedness guides and you can contact your local chapter to see if there are any area specific emergency plans in place.
Track down your insurance agent and find out the procedure for getting funds in case of fire, flood, or other damage to your home and/or vehicle. Knowing how things work will smooth the process down the road. Many insurance companies also have packets of information to help you in those situations and it may benefit you to have a copy of those documents in your Prepared Binder for use during a crisis.
You may also want to contact your city/county/state disaster response teams and ask what the regional plan is. You want to know what their expected response time is and what services the government will try and provide. While I would not suggest relying on any services from any organization to reach you or your family in less than 3 days, having an idea of what the plan is will help you prepare your family for any gaps.
After identifying your resources, take the time to plan out your family strategy for each type of emergency. Put together a list of actions to take and who should be responsible for each section.
Identifying your resources is a great way to clarify your family emergency plans. Using the help established and knowing what services you will need to provide yourself will strengthen your preparation and smooth the situation when in crisis. Remember, an ounce of preparation is worth more than a pound of panic and fear.
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