Are You and Your Family Prepared?
Have you considered what you would do if an emergency occurs? Have you thought about what you might need or what you'll need to do?
We've prepared a list of important factors to remember when preparing for an emergency:
Household emergency plan
You may find yourself in an emergency situation however some planning and preparation can make a difference to your own and other people’s lives. A household emergency plan can help you prepare. Involve all members of your household and keep a copy of it safe.
You should also:
- Make sure you know the location of your water, gas and electricity supplies to your home and know how to turn them off.
- Make sure you have insurance and keep the documents safe.
- Identify a safe location for you all to go to in the event of an evacuation so you can find each other in case you are separated.
Emergency grab bag
Try to keep a grab bag of essential items that you can take with you should you ever need to leave your home. This list is not exhaustive but suggested items include:
- Copy of your household emergency plan
- Copies of essential documents (e.g. insurance, birth certificates, bank details etc.)
- Torch and batteries
- Warm clothes and blankets
- Wallet with money and bank cards
- Bottled water and snacks
- Essential medication and prescriptions
- Electronic chargers
- First aid kits
- Essential childcare products
It’s always sensible to keep some store cupboard basics in the home. A selection of tinned food, pasta and rice, UHT milk, tea and coffee is recommended and if possible some bottled water in the event that mains water is unavailable.
Don’t forget about your pets!
If you own an animal you are responsible for its welfare and you must include them in your emergency planning:
- Think about having two emergency kits for your pets:
- Home kit – contains what you may need to stay at home in shelter for several days
- Evacuation kit – a portable and lightweight kit for when you need to leave quickly
- Practice getting your family and pets to the designated safe space.
- If you can’t take your pet during evacuation, put them in an upstairs room with plenty of water and sanitation. Go to the nominated humanitarian rest centre as directed and report that your pet has been left at home.
- Animals drink more water when stressed so store at least five days of water.
- Store any medicine in a waterproof container.
- Keep copies of any medical and vaccination records.
- Add an ID tag to your pets’ collar that clearly shows your name, phone number and address and make sure they are microchipped.
