Something we learned after 9/11 is that we need to be prepared for the worst, just in case. The same is true with your house. Lack of planning for disaster can lead to even more problems than the initial emergency itself.

For instance, if a water pipe breaks and starts flooding your basement, if you know where the water main cut off valve is located, the damage will be far less than if you don't know the whereabouts of that little handy valve. Planning is everything.

This next year should be the year we all develop emergency plans for our households It's not that hard and there's plenty of private and public information available on the Web and other places to help with this task.

There are various types of plans that should be thought out, written down and practiced by all household members.

A Disaster Plan helps educate every member of the household regarding what to do in the event of a community, town or regional emergency. What happens if basic services get cut off? Where are the cut off valves to utilities, such as gas, electricity, or water, as mentioned above? Where are the exits out of the house in case of fire or other disaster?

Planning for disaster includes putting together a disaster supplies kit, emergency food supplies and storage, and water preparation and storage. The plan should also include a list of phone numbers to call in case of an emergency (assuming the phone works at the time).

During a regional emergency, residents should limit their phone use, keeping the lines open so as not to add to the burden on the phone system that comes with an emergency. We learned that fact very clearly in the Washington, D.C. area after the terror attack on the Pentagon. Emergency personnel had to handle the same calls over and over as callers kept calling in reporting the same request for ambulance, police and fire departments.

Meanwhile, a high use of wireless phone service limited the ability for emergency personnel -- and worse, those who were in the midst of the disaster -- from getting access to the cell, digital and satellite hookups. It seems when disaster hits, a lot of people like to call their friends and talk about it. This clogs up the system and hampers the communications between those in need and the professional rescue teams.

Emergency plans will differ from household to household. Develop your plan according to where you live and what you live near. Coastal homeowners should have a plan in place for hurricanes, while residence in flat lands would be concerned with tornadoes. Be ready for flooding if you live near a river. Some areas will have to be ready for various natural disasters. Plug in with the local emergency services office to see the emergency planning kits they have put together for your region.

As far as your particular planning, your household makeup will have an affect on your emergency plan. If you have pets, for instance, you must determine how and where they will be cared for during an emergency. It's actually better to keep them penned up in a kennel than right next to you on a leash. Unless of course, you're in a basement that's flooding. Nevertheless, you must have somewhere to keep Fido and Fluffy if your household must head to the emergency shelter because health regulations generally don't allow pets, according to the American Red Cross.

Do you have an elderly resident in your home or next door? Keep them in mind as you put your emergency plan in place.

Here are a couple of Web sites to help you design an emergency plan for your home:

• The American Red Cross

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

As grandma used to say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

For more articles by M. Anthony Carr, please press here.