There are an average of 100 declared natural disasters every year in the United States. In the last several months, Americans have watched as unprecedented floods and destruction swept through North Carolina and Tennessee, and fires have ravaged Southern California, making many people acutely aware of the need to be better prepared to evacuate.
And it’s not just wildfires or floods that can force us from our homes. Mudslides, tornados, earthquakes, and other natural disasters happen every year, and man-made disasters such as chemical spills can also leave us scrambling.
So, how ready would you and your family be if you had to evacuate your home with only a few minutes warning?
The key is to prepare now so that you’re ready when disaster strikes. Let’s break it into three parts:
- Plan
- Prepare
- Practice
Plan
- Create a detailed family evacuation plan. Write it down!
- Evaluate your area, your neighborhood, and your property. Know the risks from weather and natural disasters.
- Identify local shelters. Check with your county and local Emerg Mgmt organizations for designated evacuation shelters.
- Check with your locations that they can and would accommodate you and any pets you’ll have with you.
- Create an itemized checklist of what you need to grab in an emergency including documents, medications, etc.
- Create a Family Emergency Binder so that all your critical papers, documents and information are in one place – easy to grab and go. Get our “DIY Grab-N-Go Binder” for help with this critical item. Included in the book are useful, detailed checklists for evacuation of you, your family, and your pets.
- Sign up to receive local emergency alerts and warnings on your phone. Download local emergency apps such as Watch Duty (fire), IaR (I am Ready), or your area’s local app for road conditions & closures. Consider having everyone in your family download an app such as Zello or Discord to allow direct private communications.
- Keep an emergency contact list ON PAPER (not just in your phone). Include the phone, email and street address for family, close friends, key out of area family members, your utilities, local law enforcement, business contacts, your insurance agents, etc.
- Map out an exit strategy
- Know any pre-determined evacuation routes in your area
- Have at least one or two alternate routes out of your neighborhood and your town in case your primary is closed or traffic is stopped
- Know how to open garage doors, gates, or other locked areas if the power is out.
- Have paper maps of your area and any areas you are headed to or through.
- Know evacuation or lock-down plans for locations such as your children’s schools, your workplace, or other frequent locations.
- Plan ahead to evacuate family, friends or neighbors who are elderly or have disabilities.
- Keep a GO bag or backpack packed at all times for each family member and pet. Check it quarterly, changing out batteries, snacks, clothing items, etc.
- If you have pets, disabled family members or other unique requirements, plan ahead for hotels or other accommodations. Call and confirm they can provide the required accommodations.
Prepare
- When evacuation is a possibility, back vehicles into your garage or park in an open space facing the direction of escape.
- Fill your gas tank. (You should keep your tank at least half-full at all times.)
- Keep all cellphones charged in case of power loss.
- Put a first aid kit in your car.
- Hook up any trailers used to transport animals or other critical items.
- Put together a 72-hr tote you can quickly put in your vehicle. Carry enough food and water for at least 72 hours, extra clothes, work gloves, masks, flashlights and batteries (preferably headlamps), hygiene supplies, wet wipes, etc.
Practice
- Practice regularly with everyone in your home. Have a designated meeting spot outside the house and outside the neighborhood.
- Determine what to do if someone isn’t at home when you have to evacuate.
- Participate in community emergency drills. Identify issues such as locked gates or bottleneck areas.
- Practice evacuating animals and pets, including where your crates, leashes, and other equipment needed to transport them.
If you have to evacuate, use your evacuation checklists, and leave quickly. Follow the instructions of your emergency personnel:
- Leave early. Don’t wait and be the last one to join a traffic jam!
- Keep windows up and air conditioning on to prevent smoke or traffic exhaust from entering the vehicle.
- Don’t return home until you are told you can safely do so.
- Watch for downed power lines, flooded streets, washed out culverts or bridges, or other hazards when evacuating and later, when returning home.
- Prepare for the emotional impact on you and your family. Evacuation can be both a mental as well as physical challenge, especially for children, challenged individuals, the elderly, and your pets. Watch for signs of anxiety and depression and be aware that the stress and uncertainty can lead to poor decision-making or the inability to make decisions.
So, sit down with your family and make a plan. Gather your essential documents in an emergency binder, create GO bags for each person, and ensure every member of your household knows what to do when it’s time to READY, SET, GO!