If you don't have an emergency evacuation plan for your household, it's not too late to create one. Emergency evacuation plans can make an enormous difference in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency that necessitates you evacuating your home. The more prepared you are, the more peace of mind you'll have.
Here are some basic tips for emergency planning:
Conditions requiring an evacuation
The necessity of evacuating depends on many factors. They include the kind of emergency as well as the characteristics of the building you're in, such as the length of the building. Your evacuation plan needs to describe exact conditions requiring evacuation of people, pets and essential supplies.
What should be in an emergency go bag?
What are essential survival items? Here are some of the things to include in your go bag:
- Water (one gallon per person per day).
- Non-perishable food for several days.
- Hand-crank or battery-powered radio.
- First aid kit.
- Flashlights.
- Personal hygiene supplies.
- Extra batteries and chargers.
Evacuation guidelines
In addition to your emergency supply kit and diagrams, include a list of general guidelines and local evacuation instructions. These guidelines should have info on alternate routes and how to contact emergency services.
How to make an evacuation plan diagram
The simplest way to make an evacuation plan diagram is to start with a basic blueprint or floor plan of your home. Clearly label items like stairwells, elevators, sprinklers, roof access and fire alarms for easy reference. You'll also want to draw arrows to guide people out of the building as quickly and safely as possible.
Specific emergency evacuation plan procedures
If you have pets, include them in your evacuation plans by creating a separate emergency kit, including bowls and a designated carrier or leash. Keep your car up to date on regular maintenance like oil changes, so it's in top condition in case an emergency occurs.
It's also a good idea to keep an extra few gallons of gasoline and an additional spare tire to handle any issues.
Keeping a detailed emergency plan for your home will help you expect the unexpected. The more prepared you are, the better you'll be able to respond in stressful situations.
About the Author
Judy Szablak
With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.
She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.
Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”
Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com
