The document provides guidance on creating a family emergency plan, including fire safety. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared by developing an evacuation plan, ensuring essential supplies are available, and practicing the plan. Specific tips include having fire extinguishers and an evacuation route mapped from each room, selecting a meeting place outside, and making sure emergency contacts are posted by phones. Maintaining an emergency kit with first aid, water, food and documents is also recommended.
The document provides guidance on creating a family emergency plan, including fire safety. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared by developing an evacuation plan, ensuring essential supplies are available, and practicing the plan. Specific tips include having fire extinguishers and an evacuation route mapped from each room, selecting a meeting place outside, and making sure emergency contacts are posted by phones. Maintaining an emergency kit with first aid, water, food and documents is also recommended.
The document provides guidance on creating a family emergency plan, including fire safety. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared by developing an evacuation plan, ensuring essential supplies are available, and practicing the plan. Specific tips include having fire extinguishers and an evacuation route mapped from each room, selecting a meeting place outside, and making sure emergency contacts are posted by phones. Maintaining an emergency kit with first aid, water, food and documents is also recommended.
The document provides guidance on creating a family emergency plan, including fire safety. It emphasizes the importance of being prepared by developing an evacuation plan, ensuring essential supplies are available, and practicing the plan. Specific tips include having fire extinguishers and an evacuation route mapped from each room, selecting a meeting place outside, and making sure emergency contacts are posted by phones. Maintaining an emergency kit with first aid, water, food and documents is also recommended.
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INTRODUCTION
The Family Emergency Plan is a useful tool that can assist householders and family members in advance planning exercises. It forms a part of any preparedness strategy and as a result may go a long way in preserving human life, limb and property before, during and after a hazard impact.
PLANNING OR PREPARATION Being educated about disasters and how they affect youth and adults, developing a plan, practicing the implementation of the plan in authentic and organized ways, and ensuring you have the supplies to support your family in the event of an emergency is a crucial part of disaster preparedness for families. Regardless of the emergency situation or hazard anticipated, one of the best things you can do is to make a plan and prepare your family beforehand The Right Equipment for a Home Fire Emergency Don’t just prepare yourself and your family members for a home fire. Prepare your home too. Make sure you have working fire extinguishers and consider upgrading your home’s fire protection by adding improvements such as an internal sprinkler system.
Have a House Fire Evacuation Plan
Despite your best prevention efforts, a house fire may still occur. At the first sign of smoke or fire, you must act quickly and calmly because you may have little time to gather your family members and safely evacuate your home. Fires can spread quickly, especially at night while you are sleeping, and because a closed bedroom door can conceal smoke and heat, you may only have seconds to react by the time you notice the fire. By planning and practicing your escape plan, you can increase your family’s preparedness, enabling them to react more quickly and safely in the event of a fire.
Plan Two Ways Out of Every Room
If fire or smoke blocks your primary exit, you will need a second way out. If you live in a two-story house, consider whether you will escape through a window, roof or balcony, and if you need a portable fire escape ladder. Evaluate each escape route for ease of access.
Establish a Meeting Place Outside
Choose one location where everyone will meet after escaping so you can quickly account for each household member. Immediately notify firefighters if someone is missing. Select a meeting place away from the house, preferably in the front yard near where firefighters will arrive.
Know Your Emergency Number
Teach everyone in your home how and when to use 911. Instruct children that 911 is the only number they should call when there is an emergency. Emergencies that require 911 include, but are not limited to:
Medical emergencies Car accidents with life threatening injuries Burglary or suspicious activity House fires
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practicing your home fire evacuation plan can help your family feel more confident if a house fire occurs.
Put It in Writing Put your escape plan in writing and share it with everyone who stays in your home. Draw a floor plan and mark primary and alternate escape routes from each room of your house. Show the meeting location outside your home. Post the floor plan near your phone where babysitters, visitors and overnight guests can see it.
Help Firefighters Find You
Help firefighters locate your home quickly in an emergency. Make sure your house number is clearly displayed and visible from the street.
Take Care of Children
Fire injuries and deaths among children often occur because they become frightened and try to hide from the blaze. Preparation and education are keys to preventing such tragedies. A prepared child is more likely to escape unharmed. Talk to children about what to expect if a fire occurs and practice the home fire escape plan with any child who stays at your house. Families may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how they will contact one another; how they will get back together; and what they might do in different situations. (SAY IT ON THE VIDEO) Preparing your family with safe escape routes and instructions can be a lifesaver in the case of an emergency. And if a fire strikes in your home, you won't have much time to react. Smoke inhalation can overwhelm a child or adult in less than two minutes. Be prepared by making a fire evacuation plan with your family so everyone makes it out of the house quickly and safely. (VIDEO)
DO’S AND DONT’S
THINGS NEEDED IN EMERGENCY (GO BAG KIT) Water Food First Aid Kit Non-prescription Drugs Tools and Supplies Sanitation Products Clothing and Bedding Special Items Important Documents Maintaining Your Kit Emergency kit maintenance involves four simple steps: Store your kit in a cool, dry place that’s out of direct sunlight. The timelines in this article are based on following this guideline. Heat, moisture and UV rays can all reduce the shelf life of perishable items in your kit. Do a six-month check: Set up a calendar reminder for every six months. When that time arrives, check and replenish all expired food, water, medicines and other perishable supplies; also replace items that will expire within the next six months. Do a more thorough yearly check: Reassess what’s in your kit and your emergency plan; update as needed to address changing family needs. Inspect all your gear to be sure everything is in working order. Take care of your kit as needed: If you ever take items out of your kit for any reason, promptly replace those supplies afterward—replace bandages taken out of a first-aid kit, for example.
Put together your emergency supply kit long before a fire or other disaster occurs and keep it easily accessible so you can take it with you when you have to evacuate. Plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time. Each person should have a readily accessible emergency supply kit. Backpacks work great for storing these items (except food and water) and are quick to grab. Storing food and water in a tub or chest on wheels will make it easier to transport. Keep it light enough to be able to lift it into your car. Ensure you plan with COVID-19 in mind. (VIDEO) PREVENTION OF THE SITUATION A fire can happen anywhere and it’s important to always be prepared for what you would do if you had one in your home. Likewise, it’s just as important to look at all of the ways that you can prevent one from happening in the first place. You want to know how to prevent fire in your home to protect it and the ones you love. Of course, there are the more obvious things that you can buy to protect your home against fire, such as smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, having an escape plan, and even fireproof safe deposit boxes to protect your valuables. The truth is, however, there are some very simple steps that you could be doing to keep yourself safer and, if you start right now, you may be able to prevent a problem before it even happens. (VIDEO)
