Make a Household Emergency Plan
It'll only take a few minutes, but it could be a lifesaver.
Look at the types of emergency listed on these pages. Any of them could disrupt your life and leave you isolated from immediate help.
But a household emergency plan can help you deal quickly and effectively with a stressful situation. Get your whole family involved in writing the plan, so they're prepared too. To compose your plan, ask yourselves a list of key questions, and record the answers.
Here's an example of what your plan could cover
- Where will we meet if we can't get into, or stay in our home?
- Who'll collect the children from school if we can't get there?
- Which neighbours should we check on?
- How do we turn off the gas, water and electricity?
- Who can we stay with if we're evacuated?
- Who can be an 'Emergency Friend', ready to collect medicine and supplies and act for us if we can't get out?
- What essential items should we have ready in an emergency 'grab bag'?
- Who'll look after our pets if we can't?
- Do we know how to tune to local radio stations?
- What items would we not want to lose? eg: Documents including insurance, birth and marriage certificates or passports. Photographs. Furniture. A favourite toy or baby blanket
- How can we protect these items?
- Lodging copies of documents with friends?
- Moving things upstairs?
- Storing items in waterproof or fireproof containers?
Fill in your own household emergency plan on page 28 of the 'What should I do in an emergency' booklet PDF, 1595.13 KB, and keep it handy for reference.
Remember - no item of property is worth risking your life for.
Last Updated: 22nd December 2020