Sunday 28 October 2012

A Family Emergency Disaster Plan Is To Important To Wait Start Now

By Art Jacobs


To make any comprehensive plan you must know what to expect to some extent. While most supplies and materials are not disaster specific, some disasters such as earthquakes or dam failures will not give warnings. You must have some idea of your risk, has your community experienced an earthquake in the past and how close are you to a dam and what areas are likely to be effected by a breeched levee and so forth. Do some research to determine what disasters are more prevalent than others are in your community? You can of course plan for a disaster in a general sense but floods and earthquakes have far-reaching effects that can disrupt your life for weeks or longer. It will take planning for you and your family to survive extended utilities disruptions.

Not knowing when a disaster may strike, means you must be prepared at all times. Therefore, every member of your family must know what to do at 3am and well as at 9am. Emergency exits must be well defined so there is no confusion. People will panic when they simply do not know the next move. Once disaster strikes, is not the time to wonder about what direction to go in, or what room to assemble in if the disaster strikes in the middle of the night. Make sure all plans are updated and keep in mind if you are the only one that knows what the plan is then you do not have a plan.

Getting everyone involved is important; if someone feels left out of the planning, that person may not realize the importance of the instructions. Some may want the reasons why they must use this exit over another. Having organizational skills is important so when you decide on a room to use as an improvised shelter you should go one-step farther and inspect the room for suitability. Can flying glass be a problem, is there a brick fireplace that can collapse on people and are the walls an outside wall.

Your disaster plan should also include practice drills. Does everyone that has a driver's license know the way to your local storm shelters and the emergency evacuation routes? Practice driving to the shelters and along the evacuation routes. During a disaster is not the time to wonder which direction to travel in. You also need to consider what to do if your children are at school and you are at work. What are the emergency procedures for your work place and what procedures do the schools have for disasters? Typically, unless it has been verified ahead of time only the parents can pick up children from school.

Share what you know at meetings, Meetings should be held more frequently as you get into the seasons for certain natural disasters. The meetings can be used to assign tasks to everyone. Who is responsible for making sure the supplies are up to date, and that the supplies used during the last backyard adventure have been replaced. Older children need to be involved and be given certain responsibilities. Does everyone know what to do in the event of a fire or partial structure collapse? Take everyone with you as you drive to the shelters during mock drills, they can help you find your way during a disaster because some landmarks may be destroyed so more than one set of eyes will be needed. Make sure your family members understand why the main electrical breaker and gas line should be shut off during a disaster. Share what you know.

Plans are important and realizing you may have to adapt your plans is critical as well. Plan as you would for any event, and change the plans as new information becomes available.




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