Devising a Family Emergency Action Plan

Tragedy happens. Mother Nature, manmade disasters, accidents and freak occurrences require families to have some form of emergency action plan or evacuation plan.  The best defense to aver tragedy is having systems in place.  

The Red Cross is known for their disaster response strategy and they have put together a comprehensive list of steps to take: 

Create a Family Emergency Plan 

Meet with your family or household members. 

Discuss how to prepare and respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work and play. 

Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. 

If a family member is in the military, plan how you would respond if they were deployed. 

Plan what to do in case you are separated during an emergency 

Choose two places to meet: 

Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire 

Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate 

Choose an out­of­area emergency contact person. It may be easier to text or call long distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Everyone should have emergency contact information in writing or programmed into their cell phones. 

Make a Home Evacuation Plan 

Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there. You may choose to go to a hotel/motel, stay with friends or relatives in a safe location or go to an evacuation shelter if necessary. 

Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on your map in case roads are impassable. 

Plan ahead for your pets. Keep a phone list of pet­friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes. 

The most important aspect of any fire is protecting life and limb. The stuff inside and the structure itself doesn’t matter when it comes to family safety. But when people lose all their stuff in a fire, it is still very hard, and to some, devastating. 

If you lose all your mementos, clothes, photos and all the items that make life comfortable, it can take 1-2 years or more to adjust and get back on your feet. 

Fortunately, today’s home security systems can also be equipped with fire alarms that prompt a dispatcher to call the fire department ASAP. 

On houses with porches that have poles and posts and the resident is adept at climbing that may be a consideration for some. 

The safest and most recommended option is a fire escape ladder. I own a 25 foot ladder, three-story fire escape ladder with anti-slip rungs that can hang out a window. 

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures 

Related Content:
Stay Prepared with a Family Emergency Plan
How to Respond in a Medical Emergency
Be Prepared for a Disaster – Know Your Resources
 

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