Grab and GO! (Part 2)
It is important to have a family emergency plan in place so that everyone knows where to go if there is a home emergency (like a house fire) or an emergency in the area. There also needs to be a contact person, preferably someone who lives out of state since it is often easier to call out of state than to make a local call after a disaster. Keep this person’s name and contact information in your wallet, purse, or backpack even if you have the phone numbers memorized. In stressful situations, we can often forget things that are normally easy to recall. A family emergency plan is of no use if your family members don’t know it. Practice the emergency plan and talk to family members about what natural disasters are common in your area and what the likely consequences will be. I believe that when we give people information, we give them the ability to make good choices.
So, to recap.
1. Make a family emergency plan.
2. Make sure that everyone knows the plan.
3. Decide on a contact person and make sure everyone has the contact’s information.
For our family, we meet at the park across the street from our home if we need to evacuate our home due to something like a house fire. If we would need to evacuate our city, we meet at my husband’s office a few miles from our home. All of our children are small, so I am in charge of getting them from their various schools during an emergency.
It’s also essential to know about your child’s school emergency plan. Would they shelter-in-place? Where would they go if the school was unsafe? Ask these questions of your school administrators and share your findings with other parents. Develop a plan with other parents to look out for each other’s children in case of a disaster. I gave the school an additional sheet of people who were allowed to pick up my children besides the 4 slots they gave me so that if I was unable to reach my children, that I know several neighbors and friends would be able to keep them safe.
I also believe that practice makes perfect. Do a drill one afternoon or on a Saturday while everyone is out running errands. Do you know where all your family members are? Would they be able to get home? Would you need to meet at your specified meeting place? By talking about your family communication plan and practicing it, you give yourselves the chance to know who to contact and how to respond when an emergency affects you. By developing a family emergency plan, you can rest assured that your family members will know what to do and how you can all be reunited if a disaster strikes.
