Make A Plan

Disasters can happen without warning. A household plan helps you act quickly, stay connected, and make safe decisions. Start with the steps below—and review your plan at least once a year.

1) Decide how you’ll communicate

• Choose an out-of-area contact everyone can text or call.
• Write down key phone numbers and meeting locations.
• Plan how you’ll reconnect if cell service is limited.

Ready.gov: Make a Plan
Family Emergency Communication Plan (fillable PDF)

2) Sign up for local alerts

Get official emergency notifications and City updates:

• SMC Alert (emergency notifications): Sign up or update your information
• Emergency alerts overview: Alerts and notification options
• City news & preparedness updates: Weekly Digest and City social media

3) Know your evacuation info

• Identify two routes out of your neighborhood.
• Pick a destination (friends/family outside the area is best when safe).
• Prepare go-bags for home, work, and your car.

Menlo Park: Evacuation preparedness tips
Menlo Park: Evacuation zones / Know Your Zone
Ready.gov: Evacuation guidance

4) Plan for pets and people who may need extra support

• Include medications, mobility needs, and medical equipment in your plan.
• Plan for pets (carrier/leash, food, meds, ID).

Menlo Park: Pet preparedness
Ready.gov: Pets
Ready.gov: Older adults

5) Practice, then update

• Practice a quick drill: meeting place + out-of-area contact.
• Update when phone numbers, schools, jobs, or medical needs change.

Explore more local preparedness resources: Emergency & Disaster Preparedness and MenloPrepared.

Together we are MenloPrepared.