We need to be constantly prepared for a sudden emergency evacuation. If we are prepared ahead of time we will be able to at least reduce the stress that would inevitably be felt in the time of an emergency.
Just imagine for a moment that we had always intended to make an emergency plan for our family, just as soon as I get around to it. I don’t think it’s a question of if an emergency will happen in our life time but when. All we have to do is look around us and we can think of many times in different parts of the world when an emergency of some sort has happened recently.
People talk of global warming and climate change. Regardless of whether or not you subscribe to these ideas, advance preparation is the key to survival in many instances.
Just as most public buildings or even private ones have emergency routes posted, you should also have the same planning with your own home and family. Not only should you have an emergency route already thought out, you need to have enough supplies stored to take care of your family. If you live in a large home with more than two exits it would be advisable to divide the family in two groups.
One parent could be in charge of one group and another parent in charge of the other group. In this way the family will be able to better escape the danger in the house quickly and follow the pre-planned evacuation plan and meet outside in the designated location.
If the evacuation is very large such as the evacuation of the entire city or town, you’ll need to be prepared for a lot of panic and stress. If you have already prepared for such an event you will at least not have to go through the process of thinking things through in the heat of the moment.
In the case of a major emergency you will undoubtedly find delays and of course traffic jams. Most people will not have the advantage that you will have as they have never made an evacuation plan. If you have a motor home you should make sure that it is already packed with enough supplies to last each family member for at least 72 hours.
You will need items like blankets, changes of clothing, lots of water, non-perishable food and even some basic medical supplies. You will even need enough money for gas if you will be traveling by car. Even if you don’t have a motor home you should have your car prepared ahead of time.
Why should we prepare for an emergency and in particular have an evacuation plan? If you happen to live in a region that is prone to extreme weather events such as tornados or hurricanes, then such a plan is absolutely necessary. Some locations could be more prone to earthquakes or flooding. In any event a plan is crucial to the survival of your family.
Your plan should include for at the very least the most basic of needs such as food and water. Once you have prepared your family with food and water you can then plan for other needs such as clothing and shelter and medicines. A first aid kit is essential. You need to prepare for a safe location in which to locate your family if necessary.
Some people will not want to abandon their homes, especially if they have previously lived through other weather events. These people by not leaving a dangerous situation are essentially planning for possible doom.
Even though there is a standardized format for emergency evacuation under various situations, most people will choose to follow their own plan or lack of plan. In the heat of the moment during an actual emergency, your mind may be blank and not properly think of what’s best for your family. That’s why it’s so important to create your family emergency evacuation plan now rather than later.
Of course it would be best to follow the instructions of the professionals that have been trained in how to respond to a disaster. They may not have each actually have real experience with a disaster, but they have most certainly planned and prepared for such an event.
If you have an emergency evacuation plan in place and of course if you then follow it, you will be much safer than you otherwise would be without a plan. With a plan you will already know what to do and will just be able to act almost on instinct. You will be able to keep a cool head. Fewer errors will happen because of your prior planning.
Where can you find out about how to plan for an emergency? You could go to your local city hall or chamber of commerce. They should already have information that they can provide you for most kinds of emergencies.
By law each city or other government agency should have an emergency evacuation plan. They will most gladly provide you with the information that you can use to create your own family emergency evacuation plan.
Wherever you live in this day and age there are good chances that you could become a victim and an evacuation will be a reality. This is especially true due to our constantly changing planet. As I stated before, it’s not if but when.
