There are many situations that may require you to evacuate your home for safety reasons. Here are just a few examples: hurricanes & other major storms, wild fires (or simply fires that haven't been contained), man-made disturbances (like political unrest), flooding.
For any major public disaster, neighborhoods & cities will most likely be on their own for at least 3 days--as local and state/national resources may be damaged and/or the access be limited due to local damage to roadways and such. When help is available, emergency responses will be prioritized. So, what do you do? Do you shelter in place or evacuate?
If you decide to shelter in place (because there isn't a mandatory evacuation), remember that you will need to have available enough food, water, medicine, hygiene, cooking/heating/cooling fuels to keep you for at least 3-5 days, if not longer; you will need to determine if you will remain safe during and after the disaster; you will also need to be ready to leave if safety or local officials order an mandatory evacuation. If you decide to disregard mandatory evacuations, you are putting your safety (and any who stay with you) as well as any responders who may have to rescue you at a later date in jeopardy. Remember evacuations are for your safety.
If you decide to or need to evacuate, you will need to have a plan before hand of where to go, how to get there, and what to take with you and what needs to be done before/after the evacuation.
Where to go/how to get there: do you have family/friends a few hours away/out of state you can stay with, do/will you have funds to stay at a hotel, will you need to stay at an emergency shelter for those evacuated? Do you have alternate routes to get to your destination (in an evacuation roads can be crammed) and know these enough to use them-or have maps you could use?
What to take with you (or have with you if sheltering in place): identifying documents (that show you live in the area--besides drivers license, a bill or other document showing your address)--the reason is after an emergency sometimes only those who can prove they live in the area are allowed back in; cash--if the electric is out your credit/debit card won't work, small bills are better than large ones; basic food and water, clothing, hygiene items (basically a 72 hour kit) and distraction items (games, things to occupy you while you wait the disaster out)--enough for at least 3 days is good.
What to do before/after a disaster whether or not there is an evacuation: If you have the benefit of advance notice of a possible disaster, you have the advantage to be able to fill up your vehicle, get cash, clean your home, check the condition and status of everything you own (take pics for insurance purposes), purchase any fresh foods you would like to have on hand, have your emergency supplies ready and in working condition, contact your out of area contact, fill up cleaned bathtubs, etc. Why do these things? Gas stations will be full of vehicles trying to get gas in and near disaster areas, if they have gas. If the electric is out credit/debit cards won't work. After a disaster there may not be running water/clean water available to clean with so you want to have your home as clean as possible to return to (obviously disasters can cause a mess in your once clean home, but it would be better to hope for that clean home rather than knowing you have a mess to come to because you left it in a mess). Take pictures of everything you have insured--and even if you don't have it insured so you know what you might want/need to replace in the event things are lost or destroyed. During and after a disaster if supplies (food, gas, fuels, etc) are even available you may not be able to get to them. Let your contact person know of your plans (staying/going) and when you plan to next contact them--and when they should start in earnest contacting you if they haven't heard from you. Also, if you haven't already gotten items that may be needed to clean-up/repair your home and yard, it may be wise to do so--like tarps, hammers, nails, etc. Also before a projected disaster, remove any items from your yard/patio/deck that could become projectiles/blow/float away. If you expect the electric to go out, unplug anything you feel safe doing so--like TVs, computers, etc. Move to high ground any items you fear may get wet if water were to come into your home--like put the dresser drawers on top of the dresser or bed or the stuff in the bottom kitchen cupboards onto the counter.
And of course close up, seal up, and lock up all doors & windows before leaving.
I hope these ideas help in making a family plan on what to do and plan for should a disaster come and require evacuation. Plan and use what works for your family, preparing can be and is a lot of work, but wouldn't you rather that planning and preparation be in place for the unexpected (or even expected) than wish it you had...
No comments:
Post a Comment