West Pierce Fire & Rescue is dedicated to ensuring the community is prepared in the event of a disaster. During major disasters, such as an earthquake, firefighters may be delayed in their response to 9-1-1 calls and the community will need to rely on each other to assist until help arrives.

Each month, WPFR is sharing tips from the Washington Emergency Management Division’s Prepare in a Year series, available here in both English and Spanish. This process breaks down disaster preparedness into smaller tasks that can be accomplished month to month.

This month’s disaster preparedness tip is about building a communications plan.

If you are separated from your loved ones when disasters strike, your first thoughts will be about your family, their location and condition. The stress of the event may make it difficult to remember even routine information, like phone numbers. We recommend that every household member have an out-of-area contact card in a wallet, purse or backpack at all times. Click on the link above to read more about who to create your communications plan and what to include in it.