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Article Series:
Home Emergency Preparation Tips &
Family Disaster Plans
Prepare
for Evacuation: Household Tips
Preparing an evacuation plan is one of the
best ways to prepare for an emergency or disaster. Many people
think they know what they would do in case of an emergency,
but few actually have a set plan or supplies ready on hand.
Here are five household hints to live by in preparing for an
evacuation.
1.
Create an evacuation route map. Your evacuation route map
need not be much more complicated than a simple pencil sketch
on a piece of paper. Determine two escape routes from each
room in your home. Mark the location of any equipment that
could help you escape in case of a fire. For instance, mark
the location of ladders, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits,
smoke detectors, or any other special equipment.
Mark a spot for an established meeting place where every household
member agrees to meet in case of an emergency. For a fire emergency,
the meeting place may be in front of the house, or at a neighbor's
house. For larger-scale emergencies, the meeting spot may be
a friend or relative's house in another part of town, or another
city.
Your evacuation route map should also include instructions
on evacuating your neighborhood. Determine at least two routes
you can take if you are forced to evacuate the neighborhood.
Keep in mind which roads are likely to be congested, and make
special note of bridges, highways, and areas that are prone
to flooding or other hazards.
If you have children, creating an evacuation route map can
be a fun way to prepare for the possibility of evacuation.
You can get them involved by using paints and poster board
to make a fun and safe evacuation plan map.
2.
Establish an emergency contact person. Part of your evacuation
plan should include establishing an emergency contact person
who lives in another area code. During large-scale disasters,
local telephone service is often suspended and only long-distance
numbers work. Ideally, this person should have an answering
machine, voicemail, and cellular phone service.
Every household member should carry the name
and number of a person they can contact in case they become
separated during
an emergency. Each person is responsible for "checking
in" with the emergency contact. When calling your emergency
contact, it's best to keep calls short. Ideally, you should
arrange a specific time to call in again and check to see how
other family members are doing.
3.
Make an evacuation inventory list. For many people, this
question is usually asked as part of a philosophical exercise.
If you only had ten minutes to evacuate your home, what would
you take with you? In reality, ten minutes are all many people
have when they are forced to evacuate their homes. Make a list
of all the household items you place high priority on saving
in case of an emergency evacuation. When constructing your
list, remember that you will probably have to carry all your
items. As much as you would like to salvage expensive electrical
appliances and equipment, consider the practical considerations
of an emergency evacuation situation.
4.
Create a ready-to-go emergency evacuation pack for every
member of your family. If you ever find yourself forced to
evacuate your home in a moment's notice, you'll be grateful
for the time well spent putting together a ready-to-go evacuation
pack. Your emergency evacuation pack should contain all the
basic supplies you need to survive for at least 72 hours. These
include: water, food, first aid supplies, and any special items
that you may require.
Place all of your items in an easy to carry pack like a sturdy
duffel bag or back pack. Keep two sealed water bottles in your
pack, as well as easy to carry food items such as granola bars
and trail mix. Your first-aid kit should contain bandages in
assorted sizes, scissors, tweezers, antiseptic, and non-prescription
drugs such as aspirin, anti-diarrhea medication, and antacids.
If you take prescription medication, try to keep a small supply
of it in your evacuation pack. Other special items to keep
in your pack include a flashlight, batteries, and a supply
of emergency cash, map, compass, and sanitation supplies.
5.
Practice your evacuation plan. It's a good idea to practice
your evacuation drill twice a year, especially if you have
children. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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