So, since emergencies rarely give warning, the best thing you can do for yourself, and your family is to make a plan for handling anything that came up.
Wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, even civil unrest can force families to leave their home in mere minutes. In the heat of the moment, panic will often take over, and families who think “we’ll figure it out” usually end up freezing instead of acting.
A well thought out family evacuation plan ensures that everyone knows exactly what to do, where to go, and how to stay safe. Every family, regardless of location, needs an evacuation plan.
To organize such a plan, you can download a FREE template here. You can print them out and pass them around for your whole family to have a copy!
What is an evacuation plan? It’s a step-by-step strategy for getting yourself and your loved ones out of danger during an emergency. It identifies safe meeting points, outlines escape routes and includes backup ways to communicate if normal systems fail.
A good plan ensures that everyone knows where to go, what to take (this is why a go-bag should be prepared in advance), and how to act quickly when disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, or civil unrest strike without warning.
At its core, an evacuation plan removes confusion and panic so your family can move with confidence and stay safe. The first step in building your plan is to establish safe meeting points.
You should have at least two different locations. One close to home within walking distance and another outside your neighborhood or city in case the local area becomes unsafe.
Make sure everyone in the family knows both addresses and the routes to get there. Children especially benefit from practicing these routes, so they feel confident in an emergency.
Next, map out multiple escape routes. During a disaster, roads can become blocked, gridlocked, unsafe, or the authorities can close them to travel. Having only one way out leaves you vulnerable, so always prepare with a Plan A, B, and C.
Learn to read a map and use a compass with it. Reliance on more than GPS will get you in trouble if phones die, or suddenly grids go down and towers are unusable.
Always keep printed maps in your evacuation kits and make sure you and your family know how to use a compass. Survival kits such as THE Bag include navigation tools to help when technology fails.
Speaking of cell towers, they may go down during a widespread disaster; this would leave families cut off from each other. Communication, another cornerstone of an evacuation plan, is something very important.
Backup gadgets like walkie-talkies, satellite phones/messengers, or emergency radios are critical; and give families an extra lifeline when networks collapse. Some, like ham radios, require a license. However, in an emergency you’re able to transmit.
Packing and staging evacuation kits ahead of time is essential, these are called: bug-out, survival, or go-bags. Each family member should have their own bag with food, water, ID copies, first aid, and basic supplies.
For these bags, a premade option can save valuable time while ensuring nothing critical is forgotten. THE Bag, a good all-inclusive premade would start you off with all the necessities. Great for adults and teens.
Comfort items for younger children can make stressful situations less frightening, we suggest things like coloring books, dolls, even tablets. While premade bags for adults are plentiful, children’s not so much. However, we do have two here that are incredible for kids.
Once the plan and kits are ready, practice regularly. Just as schools run fire drills, families should rehearse evacuation drills at home. Practice during the day, at night, and in different weather conditions.
Children will remember the routine better if the practice is a regular thing and feels normal rather than frightening. Also, if they have suggestions on things to do when away from the home for a drill, take them into consideration. It may ease tension.
Special considerations should also be addressed. Families with pets need carriers, leashes, food, and vaccination records ready to go. I suggest this premade here. It’s made for dogs or cats. Don't forget their vax info!
Elderly or disabled family members may need medication, mobility aids, and transportation support planned in advance. Like children, there aren’t many premade kits for this demographic on the market today. We suggest for premades, this kit here.
To sum it all up, building a family evacuation plan is not about living in fear, it’s about empowerment. By preparing now, you give your family the best chance at survival by acting quickly and calmly when it matters most.
Sit down tonight and create your first draft plan. And once the plan is ready, make sure the gear is too. If you need a plan template, visit the free resource section of Survive And Thrive Michigan™ and download one for free!
Our next blog post will cover 'Bugging Out Urban Style'
0 comments