Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: General Strategies and Considerations
• Method 2 of 3: Fire Escape Plan
• Method 3 of 3: Flood Evacuation Plan
• Tips
• Warnings

Natural and man-made disasters can happen at any time. Even with advance warning, any disaster, from hurricane and tornadoes to nuclear accidents, can be taken by surprise and pose great danger. Early plan and preparation will help your family cope with even the most dangerous disasters.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: General Strategies and Considerations

1. 1 Identify potential disasters in your area. It is hardly worth fearing floods far from the coast and mountain rivers. Some disasters like fire can happen anywhere, but in general, the hazards vary by region. You should contact your local civil defense, emergency and disaster management center, the Red Cross office, or the meteorological office to inquire about disasters to prepare for.
2. 2 Find out what to do in case of disasters. The above organizations will advise on exactly what action to take in a specific situation. You can be provided with maps for evacuation, as well as information on local warning systems and disaster plans. If you were not able to get all the necessary information from the employees of such organizations, then study the issue yourself.
   • For example, you should learn how to prepare for a hurricane and how to survive in a disaster area, and determine the best escape routes.
   • Remember that at a critical juncture, it is the responsibility of the family to prepare for disaster. you.
3. 3 Determine a meeting place and a way for all family members to get in touch. There is a high probability that your family members will be in different places at the time of the accident, so it is important to determine the meeting place in advance. Choose a safe location away from your area as it is not always possible to return home in the event of a disaster.
4. 4 Choose a contact person to contact your family. Choose a friend or relative that you, your spouse, or children can call if you are unable to go to the collection point. It is better to choose someone who lives in another city or area so that in the event of a disaster, the contact person is away from danger. Make sure everyone in your household has that person's phone number with them at all times.
5. 5 Talk to your family about possible options and make sure everyone knows what to do next in any scenario. It is important not only to know the emergency procedures yourself, but also to educate the family, otherwise what will they do if something goes wrong with you? One prepared person in the family is clearly not enough. Everyone should know and follow the plan of action.
6. 6 Eliminate potential hazards at home. Identify possible disaster scenarios and take a very close look at your home to make it as safe as possible. Some examples:
   • Each dwelling should have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Check your smoke detectors once a month or more and replace the batteries annually. The fire extinguisher must be charged in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Teach each member of your family to use a fire extinguisher. Also, everyone should know how to evacuate from home in case of fire.
   • If earthquakes happen in your area, then it is better not to put a tall and massive bookcase next to the baby's cradle, as the furniture can topple over during tremors.
   • If forest fires are possible in the nearby forests, then there should be no shrubs and tall grass in the yard in order to create a kind of buffer zone.
7. 7 Teach family members basic first aid skills. Everyone needs to learn how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use medical supplies. Adults and teenagers should be able to turn off gas, electricity and water in the event of damage to the home, as well as know how to identify gas leaks. Emergency numbers should be placed next to telephones. Even young children should be able to call 112 or another emergency number in your country of residence.
   • Try to practice using a fire extinguisher and checking smoke detectors every year.
8. 8 Stock up on water for 10-30 days. In an emergency such as an earthquake, the water supply may be cut off and shops will not work. If there is a flood, there will be a lot of water around, but it should not be drunk. Access to drinking water will not always be available.
   • Stock up on water at the rate of 4 liters per person per day. This volume includes water for drinking, cooking and sanitary purposes.
   • Store water in clean, corrosion-resistant and sealed containers.
   • Place containers in a cool, dark place. Do not store water in direct sunlight or near gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances.
9. 9 Assemble an emergency kit. Also, in case of an emergency, you should prepare a supply of non-perishable food and drinking water for at least three days. Do not forget about other things that will be needed in the absence of utilities and closed shops. Also fold the small set to be stored in the trunk of your car. What you need:
   • medical records of all family members;
   • small waterproof flashlight with spare batteries and hunting matches;
   • a small notebook and waterproof writing materials;
   • prepaid mobile phone and solar charger;
   • sunscreen and insect repellent;
   • whistle and 12-hour chemical light source (glow sticks);
   • thermal blanket.
10. 10 Collect and check your first aid kit regularly. Store one first aid kit at home in an accessible place, and the other in the car. Medicines and ointments have a limited shelf life. Check the first aid kit and emergency kits once a year and replace any expired items. The approximate composition of the first aid kit:
    • Absorbent dressings and immediate cold compresses
    • plasters, kerchiefs, bandages, sterile gauze compresses, tissue plaster;
    • antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone ointment, antiseptic wipes, and aspirin;
    • non-latex gloves, scissors, forceps, mouth thermometer (not mercury or glass);
    • personal and prescription drugs;
    • First aid brochure and emergency numbers for doctor, local emergency services, emergency services and poisoning lines.
11. 11 Work out your evacuation plan. Repetition is the mother of learning. In the event of a threat to life, it is necessary to make the right decisions. Work through the action plan with your family from time to time and make changes as needed. Test knowledge and conduct hands-on exercises. Also conduct reality checks for the entire family to identify possible deficiencies. Practice your action plan at least twice a year.
12. 12 Prepare a contingency plan. In case of route unavailability and other changes, you should have a backup plan. What if the contact person does not answer calls or if a family member is in another city? It is important to have a plan for all kinds of options in order to increase your chances of surviving a disaster.

Method 2 of 3: Fire Escape Plan

1. 1 Identify all possible escape routes from your home. Gather all family members, then go around the whole house and find all possible exits. Don't limit yourself to obvious exits like front and back doors. Consider the following: ground floor windows, garage door, and other safe escape routes. Try to find at least two exits from each room.
   • Draw a floor plan of the house and mark the exits to make them easier to remember.
   • Find ways to get out of the rooms on the first and second floors.
2. 2 Practice your evacuation plan at least twice a year. In each practice session, you can imagine that the fire is engulfing different parts of the house in order to conduct different exercises and know which route will minimize the exposure to smoke and fire. Also practice waking sleeping family members as if the alarm went off in the middle of the night.
   • Write down and draw an evacuation plan and provide copies to each family member.
   • Practice acting in the dark, or even with your eyes closed, to prepare for a very smoke-filled environment.
3. 3 Practice a few precautions while evacuating. There are a few nuances of evacuation that need to be known to reduce the risk of exposure to toxic smoke. Smoke and hot air always go up, so breathing is safer and easier if you are as close to the floor as possible. Examples:
   • Practice crawling on the floor to keep smoke out of your eyes and lungs.
   • Learn to stop, fall to the floor, and roll to put out fires on your clothes.
   • Learn to touch the door with the back of your hand to determine if there is fire on the other side. Start at the bottom and work your way to the top of the door (heat rises upward). If, in the event of a real fire, the door is hot, then another way should be sought.
   • Practice barricading your home if you can't get out. If it is impossible to get out of the house, then close all the doors that separate you from the fire. The door burns down in about 20 minutes. Do not use tape or towels to cover the cracks in the doors.
   • Practice shining a flashlight or waving colored items out of the window so firefighters know where you are.
   • Remember the emergency phone numbers. In a real fire, you need to use such a phone.
4. 4 Equip a fire escape in a two-story house and practice going down it. Fire escapes should be prepared and placed near windows in order to be able to safely leave the house. Practice going downstairs during drills so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Go down the stairs through the second floor windows if there are no other escape routes. The ladder should be near the window.
5. 5 Buy and Learn use a fire extinguisher. A fire extinguisher should be on every floor of your home. Check the condition of the device every year. The bigger the extinguisher the better, but make sure you can handle it effortlessly. There are three types of household fire extinguishers: class A, class B and class C. You can also buy a combination version like class B-C or class A-B-C. Fire extinguishers can be purchased at hardware stores and online.
   • Class A fire extinguishers are designed to extinguish common materials such as wood, paper and cloth;
   • Class B fire extinguishers are designed to extinguish flammable and flammable liquids such as lubricants, gasoline, oil and oil paints;
   • Class C fire extinguishers are used when electrical appliances, tools and other equipment are ignited.
6. 6 Choose a pick-up location a safe distance from your home. After evacuating the house, all family members should run to a collection point that is a safe distance from the house, but not too far. This can be a platform in front of the neighbors' house, a mailbox, a lamppost.Everyone should come to this place after evacuation to ensure the safety of each family member.
   • Mark the rally point on the evacuation plan.
7. 7 Teach the children about the evacuation plan. Children should not be afraid of fire and take exercise as a routine exercise. During the training, children will understand the dangers of fire and will not play with it.
   • Children should practice using the escape route with adults so that they do not engage in dangerous activities such as jumping from the second floor.
   • Children should always practice evacuation procedures under the supervision of an adult.
8. 8 Keep an eye on fire safety at home. Install fire alarms in all rooms and make sure all doors and windows open easily. Also, do not forget about the nets and the screen door. Make sure your house number can be seen from the road. The numbers must be bright in color and at least 8 centimeters high. This will make it easier for the firefighters to find your home and arrive as soon as possible.
   • It is also helpful to install smoke detectors in the hallway near each bedroom and on the stairs.
   • Change the batteries in the smoke detectors every year. At the same time, you can check the performance of all sensors.
   • If doors and windows are equipped with additional bolts, then emergency levers must be provided so that they can be easily opened.
   • All family members should sleep with the door closed. The door burns out in about 20-30 minutes. During this time, you can find a way out and leave the room.

Method 3 of 3: Flood Evacuation Plan

1. 1 Check with your city planning office for flood plans. You will be advised if your home is in an area that is at risk of flash floods or landslides. It is important to know what you need to prepare for. You can also find out about alarms, escape routes, and the location of emergency shelters in your area. These aspects can affect your plan.
2. 2 Consider a flood evacuation plan. Your family needs to discuss flood management in your area. What if the whole family is at home? What should you do if everyone is in different parts of the city? It is better to make several plans to find the best solutions.
   • Choose a friend or relative from another area as your point of contact so everyone can call and find the rest. Everyone should know the name, address and telephone number of this person.
3. 3 Determine what to do in case of a flood alert. In the event of a flood alert, your family should be prepared to pack and wait for new radio or television announcements. You also need to collect property in the yard (waste baskets, grill, garden furniture) and secure it with chains or ropes. Finally, turn off all communications if evacuation becomes necessary. Examples of actions when preparing for an evacuation or staying in a house during a flood:
   • Fill a container with a sufficient amount of drinking water with a supply of 10-30 days. It is likely that fresh water will be unavailable for a long time.
   • Wash sinks and bathtubs, then fill them with clean water. This will allow you to have a supply of clean water in case you are cut off from the rest of the world. Flood waters are always dirty.
   • Refuel the car and put a set of essentials in the trunk. If you don't have a car, arrange transportation.
   • Pack your important documents (medical records, insurance and passports) in a waterproof bag.
   • Find shelter for your pet. Make sure you have a leash, a carrier, additional feed, medication (if needed) and a vaccination card.
   • Listen for sirens and other alerts.
4. 4 Determine an evacuation procedure. In case of an order to evacuate, you must leave home as soon as possible. Trust that the authorities are taking all the necessary measures, and you will not be safe at home.The entire family should be aware of the flood evacuation procedures. Here are some tips:
   • take with you only the most necessary things;
   • turn off gas, electricity and water (if time permits);
   • unplug all electronic devices from electrical outlets.
   • follow the indicated escape routes;
   • do not try to cross flooded areas;
   • keep listening to the radio for news;
   • go to a shelter or to friends (make sure friends do not live in the evacuation area).
5. 5 Prepare your home for possible flooding. Turn off the electricity before leaving. If there is standing water or dropped power lines near the house, shut off the water and gas supplies to prevent electric shock when power is restored. Buy a Class A, B, or C fire extinguisher and teach each family member how to use it. You also need to buy and install a drain pump with a backup power supply. Among other things, pay attention to the following aspects:
   • Install check valves or plugs for drains, toilets, or other sewer connections to keep water from entering your home.
   • Secure the fuel tanks in the garage to the floor. If the tanks go loose, they will be washed away by the stream of water and could damage other homes. If the tank is in the basement, then nothing needs to be done.
   • Disconnect the power supply at the dashboard. Turn off all switches one by one. Turn off the main breaker last to avoid an electric arc.
6. 6 Stock up on the essentials. If you really want to be prepared for a flood, then stock up on things that will help you survive and keep you safe. Among other things, you will need:
   • water tanks of such a volume, which will last for three to five days;
   • a supply of non-perishable food for three to five days and a mechanical tin wrench;
   • first aid kit;
   • battery-powered radio;
   • flashlights;
   • sleeping bags and blankets;
   • wet wipes for hands;
   • tablets with chlorine and iodine for water purification;
   • soap, toothpaste and other hygiene items;
   • emergency kit for a car with maps, launch cables and torches;
   • rubber boots and waterproof gloves.

Tips

• Buy and use radios and flashlights with autonomous power source... For them not need batteries. Such devices safer candles. Some models can also charge cell phones.
• In major disasters, it is often possible to call a telephone number in another region, but not within the region. In extreme cases, you have to rely on text messages.
• In addition to the above steps, you can contact the insurance company and find out how to make your home safer. They are committed to reducing the risk of injury and damage to your home in emergencies and will be happy to provide you with the information you need. Often, an insurance policy includes some precautions to cover future damage.
• Choose two or three people from other regions as contact persons, several people from your region and someone who can receive text messages.
• If you are having difficulties in connection with the above actions, then use information from various sources such as the Russian Emergencies Ministry website and Ready.gov of the US Department of Homeland Security.
• In the United States, after Hurricane Katrina, there was no way to reach cell phones, but text messages did work, which saved many lives and helped families reunite.
• Take the plan seriously, but try not to scare the kids unnecessarily or dwell on the danger. Your job is to keep yourself and your family safe.
• Learn to turn off gas and electrical appliances in case of a disaster, and write clear instructions for all family members.
• If your workplace, school, or city does not have a disaster evacuation plan, take the initiative and offer to develop a plan.Contact your local government for help. Work on the plan with neighbors and colleagues.
• Protect your data. Store important records, documents and information on a password-protected external storage device (put in an emergency kit) or in the cloud so that in the event of a sudden evacuation, you have access to important materials.
• In a real fire, do not try to cover the cracks in the doors with tape or towels, as they will only become additional fuel and the fire will penetrate the room. Also, do not open windows, as the draft will draw smoke into the room and intensify the fire. Interior doors burn out in about 20 minutes.
• Buy a cell phone for your child when he is old enough to make calls. Tell him to carry his phone with him at all times so that he can contact other family members if needed.

Warnings

• This article should not be construed as a comprehensive guide to preparing for various disasters. You will need to assess a unique list of potential dangers for your region in order to prepare for all possible scenarios.