Emergency Planning

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighbourhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services: - water, gas, electricity or telephones were cut off? Officials and emergency workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.

Find out What Could Happen to You
Ask yourself what types of emergencies are most likely to happen. Study information on how to prepare for each. Learn about your community's warning signals: what they sound like and what you should do when you hear them. Find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed. Find out about the disaster plans at your workplace, your children's school or day care centre, and other places where your family spends time. Make sure that your family each have one of our Survive-it mini kits stored at their workplace or school. 

Talk to your insurance agent.
Check with your insurance company for details of your cover, homeowners' policies may not cover some emergencies e.g. flooding from a tsunami.

Create an Emergency Plan
Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team.

• Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case.
• Pick two places to meet: Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire. Outside your neighbourhood in case you can't return home or are away from home. Everyone must know the address and phone number.
• Ask a friend (preferably outside of your immediate area) to be your "family contact."  Other family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's phone number and address.
• Discuss what to do in an evacuation. Plan how to take care of your pets.

Complete This Checklist

• Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.) and add to the section at the back of this handbook.
• Teach children how and when to call 111 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help.
• Show each family member how and when to turn off the utilities (water, gas, and electricity) at the main switches.
• Check if you have adequate insurance coverage.
• Get training for each family member on how to use the fire extinguishers, and show them where they are kept.
• Install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms.
• Stock emergency supplies and store your “Survive-it” survival kit somewhere accessible.
• Make sure each family member has a Survive-it mini kit with them at work or at school.
• Take a first aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) class.
• Determine the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room or area if possible.
• Find the safe places in your home for each type of disaster.
• Make a list of items that you may need if you need to leave your home in the event of an emergency.

Practice and Maintain Your Plan
There are a number of things you can do to ensure that you are always prepared.

• Quiz your kids every six months or so.
• Conduct fire and emergency evacuations.
• Replace stored water and stored food every six months.
• Test and recharge your fire extinguisher's according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Test your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.
• Check your survival kit is all ok.

Consider your Neighbours
Working with neighbours can save lives and property. Meet with your neighbours to plan how the neighbourhood could work together after a disaster until help arrives. If you're a member of a neighbourhood organisation, introduce disaster preparedness as a new activity. Know your neighbours' special skills (e.g., medical, technical) and consider how you could help neighbours who have special needs, such as disabled and elderly persons. Make plans for child care in case parents can't get home.

What to do if a disaster Strikes
Remain calm and patient. Put your plan into action. Refer to specific information in this handbook.

Remember to...

• Confine or secure your pets.
• Call your family contact - do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
• Check on your neighbours, especially elderly or disabled persons.
• Make sure you have an adequate water supply in case service is cut off.
• Stay away from downed power lines.

What to do when you travel abroad or to other areas
It is important to also remember that as we travel further a-field we may be travelling to an area with different disaster issues than your normal place of residence. You may travel for work or for holidays.  Consider what you need to do and carry with you in order to be prepared where ever you go.  Consider obtaining a Survive-it mini kit.

There are plenty of information sources available to provide this advice, check the internet or check with your local travel agent or embassy.