Evacuation Planning - Don't Leave It For The Last Minute
Most people don't expect to be forced from their home by disaster, but believe me, it can happen. In July 2007 a forest fire broke out less than a mile from my home, and I had to get ready to leave in case the fire came my way.
In this lens you will find some common sense ideas on how to prepare an evacuation plan for your family. Hopefully you'll never have to use it, but in case you do, the evacuation planning effort will be worthwhile.
[Note: The photo is of a flood I was in during the last days of December 2005; the Klamath River overflowed its banks, covering Highway 96, and I couldn't get home for two days.]
What you'll find here:
Why Evacuation Planning Is Needed
- Fires
- Floods
- Volcanic eruptions
- Cyclones, Tornadoes, Hurricanes
- Earthquakes
- Mudslides, rockslides
- Military attacks
- Terrorism
- Bombings
- Nuclear accidents
- Aviation crashes
- Train or auto accidents
- Viral outbreaks
- Industrial accidents
Amazon Error: Could not open remote connection
Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.Pack In Advance
Too many people are unprepared for evacuation. They may be woken in the middle of the night and given only a few minutes to get out. Then they are directed to evacuation centers where they may be helped if they are without adequate supplies. If you value your privacy, you do NOT want to go there!
It is much better to be prepared. Even though I no longer pack the trunk of my car, I have a sturdy backpack (you could use a suitcase) packed full of vital necessities including what I call an 'emergency food supply' consisting of snacks like salted peanuts and energy bars.
Amazon Error: Could not open remote connection
Sorry, there are no results available from Amazon.Your Information Binder
An information binder can help organize your life.
What to include:
Addresses and telephone numbers - include family, friends, schools, banks, insurance, and whatever else you may need.
Financial Records - this will include your personal and/or business bank account information, checks, credit cards, tax returns, and whatever else fits in your particular case. Be sure to record all important account numbers for each bill you regularly pay, insurance, banks, etc.
Inventory - make an inventory of your property. Include serial numbers, locations, brands, make and model numbers, etc.
Gather all this information together ahead of time. If you're forced to evacuate, grab the binder on the way out the door. And if you never have to evacuate, lucky you! You'll have a well-organized binder with all this essential information.
Office Supplies
...supplies to help organize your information.
Your Transportation
...how will you leave, and where to?
If you don't own a car, do you know where buses will leave from? Find out.
Figure out ahead of time where you'll be going. If need be, get maps.
Things To Take With You
...don't be unprepared.
Clothing - natural fibers (wool or cotton)
Toiletries
Eyeglasses/sunglasses
Medications (in original containers)
First aid kit
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Communication equipment such as a radio and cell phone
Your valuables such as photos, jewelry, or whatever else you own that means a lot to you
Your information binder - see instructions above
Sleeping Bags
Coleman Colossal 20-Degree Rectangular Sleeping Bag (Super King)
Amazon Price: $46.74 (as of 10/13/2008)
Teton Sports Celsius XL 0-Degree Sleeping Bag
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
Coleman Girls Scattered Sleeping Bag
Amazon Price: $19.92 (as of 10/13/2008)
Coleman Rimstone Sleeping Bag
Amazon Price: $28.64 (as of 10/13/2008)
Coleman Andover 40-Degree Rectangular Sleeping Bag
Amazon Price: $27.06 (as of 10/13/2008)
Food To Take
Bottled water - as much as you can take
Water purifier
Energy bars
Nuts
Dried fruit
Canned fruit, veggies, etc.
Organic dark chocolate (essential for fighting off depression, especially for women!)
Energy Bars
Clif Bar Energy Bars, Variety Pack of Chocolate Chip, Crunchy Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch, 2.4-Ounce Bars (Pack of 24)
Amazon Price: $25.60 (as of 10/13/2008)
![Clif Bar Energy Bar, Cool Mint Chocolate 12 - 2.4 oz (68 g) bars [28.8 g (816 g)]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CkXci694L._SL75_.jpg)
Clif Bar Energy Bar, Cool Mint Chocolate 12 - 2.4 oz (68 g) bars [28.8 g (816 g)]
Amazon Price: $12.75 (as of 10/13/2008)
The Best 50 Energy Bar Cookies (Best 50)
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Bar Energy Bar - Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch
Amazon Price: $1.79 (as of 10/13/2008)
Clif Builder's Bar Variety Pack Of Peanut Butter And Chocolate, 2.4-Ounce Bars (Pack of 18)
Amazon Price: $26.15 (as of 10/13/2008)
Don't Forget To Prepare For Your Pets
Pet carriers
Pet food
Bottled Water
Leashes
Collars or Harnesses - I found that a small-dog harness was perfect for my cat in this situation.
What To Leave WITH Your Home
If anyone who lives in the home was unaccounted for, leave their name and where they might be found. You can also mention any pets you couldn't find to take with you.
With this note leave a list of potential hazards such as fuel tanks.
Leave the door unlocked if there might be rescue workers needing shelter.
Turn off the gas.
Keep your electricity on, and leave the outdoor lights on.
If there's a forest fire, place a sprinkler on your roof, but don't turn it on. Connect all hoses to outdoor spigots. This will help firefighters when they arrive to defend your home.
Close all windows and shutters, and remove flammable curtains if there's threat of a fire.
Poll: Have You Been Evacuated?
...has this ever happened to you?
More great lenses about emergency preparedness...
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Tornadoes - Safety Tips and Tornado Videos
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Tornado information that can help save your life. Below you will find tornado videos, what scale is used to rank a tornadoes strength and speed of the winds. plus useful information for what you should do in case of tornado sirens sounding in your ar...
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Safety & Survival Gear For Every Home
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There's a tornado on the way. Is your family ready? How about your pets? Are you prepared in case of a hurricane, an earthquake, or some other disaster? There are a number of items that you should have on hand in your home in order to he...
Evacuation Kit
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What do you think of this topic? Do you think you'll ever have to evacuate?
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spirituality
Great lens - these are some valid points :) Posted July 28, 2008 |
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ThomasC
A well done lens! Worthy of 5 stars! Great Job! Posted July 24, 2008 |
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The_Homeopath
Really well presented information. I'm in a relatively low-risk location for evacuation, but I always have plans in the back of my head - hook up the horse trailer, load horses, goats, dog, cats, and ferret, put kids in truck, grab essentialls and go! Scary to think about, but better to at least have some idea of what I'd need to do. Of course, I'm really bad at driving a stick, so manuevering the truck would be interesting, but I'd survive. Posted June 27, 2008 |
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awelldressedbullet
Great info! Posted June 17, 2008 |
More Evacuation Advice
- Prepare.org | What You Can Do to Prepare for a Disaster
- Preparedness information for vulnerable populations, including seniors, children, people with disabilities and mobilities issues, and people with pets, service animals or livestock
- FEMA: Evacuation Plans
- Get prepared to drive to safety.
- Prepare for Evacuation: Household Tips
- Are you ready for any everyday emergency or natural disaster? Learn emergency preparation and disaster planning tips.
- Preparing for an Evacuation
- How to prepare for evacuation.
- Disaster Evacuation Supply Kit
- PDF file - how to create a disaster evacuation supply kit.
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