Whats Your Emergency Plan?

Every family needs a home emergency plan because we live in a world that does have its share of dangers. While the need for a home emergency plan has received more attention in recent years due to the threat of terrorism, most emergencies are caused by natural disasters like tornadoes and floods or very localized events like a house fire or carbon monoxide leak in a home. It is always wise to be prepared since emergency situation may leave you without safe drinking water, electricity or heat, and cause other potentially serious conditions.

Setting up a home emergency plan can be done quite easily. Here are practical steps to take to help ensure your family’s safety.

Different Emergency Situations

1. Learn about what can happen where you live. If your area is susceptible to flooding, wild fires, winter storms, earthquake, hurricanes or tornadoes, events that cause hundreds of thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes every year, keep a close tab on local conditions. It is also essential that you know the public warning signals that your local community sends out so you will be able to respond immediately.

2. Communicate with all family members NOW about what dangers exist and how your family will respond. It is possible to communicate with small children without frightening them. Be reassuring and calm. Let them know that nothing is likely to happen but you want everyone to be ready just in case.

3. Let everyone know how to get out of your home as quickly as possible in the event of a house fire, a leading cause of death from emergencies. Teach them how to stop air flow into a room if they are trapped inside during a smoke/fire situation. If you have a 2-story home it is essential that you also have a chain ladder to exit an upper window.

4. Select a meeting place outside your home so that if disaster strikes you can quickly account for everyone. The location should be well away from the structure.

5. Designate an out of town contact so that all members can get in touch should they be apart from one another when a large-scale event like a tornado or hurricane occurs.

6. Know where to go in your community to seek shelter and food/water/medical attention if disaster hits.

7. If anyone in your home relies on electricity to run needed medical equipment purchase a generator and keep it fueled so that medical help isn’t interrupted during a power outage.

8. Since some disasters require staying in your home until the situation changes make sure you stock up on canned food, bottled water and medical supplies. Plan to have a 7-10 day supply on hand at all times. It is also essential to have a battery-powered radio, a flashlight for each person, and plenty of extra batteries.

9. Plan for pets! Most emergency shelters set up in schools, for example, make pets off-limits. If you must be evacuated from your home and use a shelter have a plan for where you will place your pets until the dangerous situation is resolved.

While not every scenario can be anticipated, the most common certainly can. Being prepared can prevent emergency situations from become tragic ones. A little preparedness goes a long way!

By all means install detectors in your home, co,co2,smoke or a combination alarm. Also pick a  date each year to change all the batteries.

To help you in setting up your family emergency plan here is your free worksheet provided by FEMA  that will provide you with most of the items you will need to know in order to protect your family

Resources:

FEMA

Home Safety Council

Family Emergency Planning

Build Your Emergency Plan Today

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