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.