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Emergency
Preparedness
NFPA SAFETY TIPS
- Discuss what to do in an
evacuation. When told by officials, go immediately
to a shelter as instructed or to the home
of a friend or relative who lives out of the
area. Find out about your local shelters beforehand.
- Know evacuation routes.
Pre-establish several different routes in
case certain roads are blocked or closed.
- Family members can become
separated during an emergency. Be prepared
by creating a plan for how to reach one another.
Establish an out-of-area contact (such as
a relative or friend) who can coordinate family
members' locations and information should
you become separated. Make sure children learn
the phone numbers and addresses, and know
the emergency plans.
- Quiz children every six
months so they remember what to do, where
to go, and whom to call in an emergency.
- Decide how to take care
of pets. Pets are not allowed in places where
food is served, so you will need to have a
place to take your pets if you have to go
to a shelter.
- Post emergency phone numbers
(fire, police, ambulance, etc.) by the phone.
- Assemble a
family disaster supplies kit (PDF, 257
KB) and keep a smaller one in the trunk of
your vehicle.
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In a disaster, local officials and
relief workers cannot reach everyone immediately.
Help may not arrive for hours or days. You and your
family -- and don't forget to include the needs of
those with disabilities -- need to be prepared ahead
of time because you won't have time to shop or search
for the supplies you will need when a disaster strikes.
Most disasters are natural disasters,
the result of some force of nature, such as tornadoes,
hurricanes, and floods. Some natural disasters can
be predicted, such as hurricanes and severe winter
storms, while others, such as tornadoes and earthquakes,
happen with little or no warning.
Some disasters are the cause of human
actions, intentional or unintentional. A disaster
plan will help with safety, security, and comfort.
Regardless of the type of disaster,
there are things you can do to prepare. Contact your
local Red
Cross chapter, visit the FEMA
Web site, or Ready.gov
to make sure you are aware of the potential for natural
disasters in your community. After you have identified
the types of disasters that could strike where you
live, create a family disaster plan that can apply
to any type of disaster – natural, unintentional,
or intentional.
Prepare an emergency supplies
kit
Disaster can occur suddenly and without
warning. They can be frightening for adults, but they
are traumatic for children if they don't know what
to do when these events occur. Children depend on
daily routines. When an emergency disturbs their routine,
children can become nervous. In an emergency, they'll
look to parents or other adults to help.
How parents react to an emergency
gives children an indication on how to act. They see
their parents' fear as proof that the danger is real.
A parent's response during this time may have a long-term
impact. Including children in the family's recovery
plans will help them feel that their life will return
to normal.
Families should prepare an emergency
supplies kit (PDF, 257 KB) and develop a plan.
Practice your plan so that everyone will remember
what to do in an emergency. Everyone in the home,
including children, should play a part in the family's
response and recovery efforts. Remember: make the
plan simple so everyone can remember the details.
Article from the National
Fire Protection Association
RETURN
TO FIRE PREVENTION TIPS
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