What Will You Do if Disaster Strikes?

If a national emergency were to occur, the Snellville Police Department would serve as the Gwinnett County Command Center. A conference room at the department is equipped with a generator and other necessary equipment.

The city also has a Code Red system in place. If there were an emergency, the system would send you an email, text or phone call. You would then be alerted to evacuation notices, bio-terrorism alerts, boil water notices, severe weather and missing child reports. (Sign up on the city's website to be included in their database.)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that you and your family always have a plan in place in case of disaster. For example, if you live in Snellville but your extended family lives in Wisconsin, determine who will travel to whom should communications go down. FEMA recommends asking yourself the following questions:

• How will we get to a safe place?
• How will you contact family members?
• How will you get back together?
• What will you do in different situations?

FEMA also recommends keeping an ICE (In Case of Emergency) phone number listed on each of your cell phones.

Did you know that text messages often can get around network disruptions when a phone call may not get through?

Gwinnett County identifies seven natural disaster scenarios that could take place in the area, including severe thunderstorms, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, flooding, and drought/extreme heat.

The county's emergency management department also recommends keeping a kit in your home that includes the following:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
• Visit their website for additional recommended items. 

Having a kit like this handy is useful in any type of emergency, whether it's a natural disaster or terrorist act.

In case you need to evacuate, dial 511 for traffic information. Stay tuned to a TV or radio for up the minute information. You can also call the Georgia Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-TRY-GEMA or the Department of Homeland Security at 404-624-7030.

If it seems an evacuation may be imminent, keep your gas tank full at all times. It's a good idea to keep your tank half-full anyway, just in case. Ready.gov includes information on what to before, during and after different types of emergencies, including terrorist attacks (cyber, chemical, biological and explosive).

For kid-friendly exercises in helping your entire family plan for an emergency, visit Sesame Street's Let's Get Ready website.

What's your plan? Do you have any other tips? Tell us in the comments!