How do you plan for everyone in your household, not just yourself?
Written by Andy Kruger
BuildSOS CEO5 min read
The short answer
List every person (and pet) in your household, then note anything that changes how they’d need to evacuate or shelter: mobility limits, medications, dietary needs, or communication needs. This isn’t a form to fill out once and forget. It’s the foundation everything else, your evacuation plan, your kit, your communication circle, gets built on.
Why household needs assessment matters
Generic disaster advice assumes a household that can move fast, understand instructions, and grab a go-bag without help. Real households aren’t generic.
People with disabilities are two to four times more likely to die or be injured in a disaster than the general population (United Nations). That gap closes when a plan accounts for the specific people it needs to protect, not an average household that doesn’t exist.
What to consider, step by step
- List everyone in the household. Children, elderly relatives, anyone living with you, and pets.
- Note mobility needs. Does anyone need help with stairs, walking, or transportation during an evacuation?
- Note medical needs. Medications, equipment, or conditions a caregiver or first responder should know about.
- Note communication needs. Anyone with a hearing or speech impairment needs an alternative way to receive emergency alerts.
- Note dietary needs. Allergies or restrictions that affect what goes in your emergency kit.
- Plan for children specifically. Comfort items and age-appropriate ways to explain what’s happening make a real difference in how kids handle a crisis.
- Talk it through as a household. Once you’ve written it down, walk through it with everyone so no one’s caught off guard.
Frequently asked
Do I need to redo this every year?
Revisit it whenever household circumstances change: a new baby, a relative moving in, a new pet, or a new medical need. Otherwise, a yearly check is enough.
Where should I keep this list?
Store it in your BuildSOS profile alongside your other documents, so it’s there for you and for anyone helping you during an emergency.
What if I live alone?
The same principle applies. Note your own mobility, medical, and communication needs, and make sure at least one other person, like your communication circle contact, knows them too.
About the author
Andy Kruger
Andy Kruger is CEO of BuildSOS, author of When the Storm Comes, and sits on multiple boards and advisory groups shaping disaster resilience policy and research.
About Andy