A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 11 steps for Emergency Evacuation

PEOPLE: Have a plan for getting out of the house and make sure everyone knows it. Have an emergency bag of food and water for your family. Include wholesome snacks and treats for the children: dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter, crackers and granola bars.


PETS: Keep pet carriers and leashes readily available to lead pets to safety. Also take pet food with you.


PICTURES: Keep negatives or CDs of pictures in a lock box or at a family member's home. Have picture albums in one place ready to grab and go at a moments notice.


PAPERS: Have all your important papers in a lock box at a bank and only keep copies at the house. This keeps you from panicking. If you have them at home then put them in a folder that you can easily grab if you have to move fast. Color code it so you can find it!


PRESCRIPTIONS: Take your medications with you. Don't forget the ones that have to be refrigerated like insulin. Have small ice chest and cold packs readily accessible to pack and go. If you have babies; remember their formula or medications.


PURSES and PETROL: This is where you keep your identification, credit cards and cash. Keep a stash of cash for emergencies and grab it. You may not be able to use an ATM in the event of a power outage. Make sure your car always has a half a tank of gas.


PROPER CLOTHES and COMFORT ITEMS: According to the weather conditions; gather up a change of clothes along with outer clothing: coats, rain gear, boots, gloves and hats. If you have babies remember diapers. Remember to grab your children's favorite blanket, stuffed animal or toy. A game or a deck of cards could keep them occupied and calm too.


PLANNER/CALENDAR/CONTROL JOURNAL: These documents have all the information you will need from phone numbers, insurance numbers and important dates. They are small and filled with things you don't have to try to remember.


PERSONAL PROTECTION: Many of us still have that time of the month. Be sure and grab a box of your preferred protection. It may be hard to find if you have been evacuated. Stress can cause our bodies to do strange things too. So be prepared. Take medication for cramps too.


PHONES and RADIOS: Many of us have cell phones now. Always keep them charged up and have a charger in the car or an extra battery. They may not work in the event of power outages, but then they might. Know which local radio station has emergency bulletins. Keep your battery powered radio tuned to that local station and have plenty of batteries for it.


PATIENCE: This is one of the most important things to pack. Keep it inside of you so that you have a clear calm head. Having your P's to Preparedness list guiding you will keep you patient. In the event of an evacuation there will be lots of displaced people. Being patient will make things less stressful. Your children need to see you calm and collected. This will help keep them calm too.

Dusty -

Great information for all of us, no matter where we live! Thank you!

I used to be a volunteer firefighter in a small community in AZ where wildland fires were always a threat in the summer.

I had a large plastic storage container in my garage with a full change of clothes (don't forget extra underwear and socks!),a sturdy pair of boots, spare personal items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, etc., a container of moist towelettes for a "quick" cleanup, a blanket, pillow, a supply of cat food, dog food and treats in zipper bags and of course some health bars for myself! I kept the "soft" items in zipper bags with the air squeezed out to make them more compressed, but also to keep them clean and dry. Of course I had spare food and water bowls for my pets pre-packed. Don't forget to keep a few gallons of bottled water on hand to "grab and go" if need be. We can all go without food, but NEVER without water. My "rule of thumb" was enough for 5 days for all evacuees INCLUDING pets.

I kept this emergency evac kit in the garage for quick and easy access in the event of an emergency. Keep everything you plan to take in the same area. Time will be your best friend or your worst enemy!

While it sounds a little "over the top", keep your most recent bank statement and a spare checkbook in your evacuation kit. You may need proof of your financial status! Keep a list of the mortgage company, car loan, etc. with account numbers and PHONE NUMBERS in the kit as well. You never know how long you'll be stranded and without access to your accounts. Remember what happened with Katrina!

If you have the luxury of time (and space in your vehicle) bring your essential documents, pictures, laptop or the CPU of your computer, (THAT'S where all the important stuff is)and forget about the keyboard, monitor and printer!

Speaking of your vehicle, when in your area's "danger season", whether hurricane or forest fires, make sure you keep your gas tank full in the event of an evacuation.

HAVE A PLAN!!! Know where you're going to go and have several alternate routes to get to a safe area. Make sure you have area maps in your vehicle.

Without overstating the obvious, bring your cell phone AND the charger for use in your vehicle. You may not have service in all areas at all times, but at least you have the option! MANY cell phones have GPS built in, so even if you can't contact loved ones of your status they MAY be able to have authorities locate your location by the GPS tracking signal.

Okay... I think I've covered the most important stuff. LOL!

I hope none of you need to use these suggestions, but if you DO, at least you'll be prepared.

Wonderful advice, Dusty and Pat!

Dianna