You can prepare your household for emergencies in one year by taking a few small steps each month.

The task for January is to make a communications plan. Here’s what you have to do:

1. Make sure everyone in your household has the number for your chosen out-of-state contact. That’s the person everyone calls in a disaster to say how they are, where they are, and what their plan is.

2. Create a list of additional emergency contacts and give a copy to everyone (the list can be kept digitally on a phone).

3. Subscribe everyone with a phone to NIXLE (text 98110 to 888777). Nixle is what the City of Bainbridge Island uses to send out emergency alerts. Alternatively, download the Nixle app here.

4. Make sure children have backpack cards with emergency contact info.

5. Subscribe in the footer of this page to the BP Newsletter.

That’s it! When you’re done, submit a photo of your household members holding their contact lists (on paper or on their phones).

Read more about Prepare in a Year 24 here.