BLOGS

Why Your Family Should Have an Evacuation Plan

Emergencies happen. Disasters happen. This is a sad reality that hit close recently for those of us who live in the Denver area. You cannot always anticipate when emergencies or disasters will occur, but you can be prepared for them if they do. Having a family evacuation plan can save you in many ways. Here is how to create one.

Discuss When You Should Evacuate

The first step in creating an evacuation plan is determining what circumstances warrant evacuating. Sit down with your family and discuss potential emergencies that could occur in your area. Colorado for example, experiences fires regularly. You can research data and have alerts in place for additional emergencies that might occur in your area, such as power outages and chemical spills. Once your family agrees on when you should stay put vs when you should take action, you can formulate the rest of your plan.

Make Important Contact Information Accessible

It is likely that your family will not all be in one place when an emergency occurs. That is why your family should know who they need to contact right away. Assign a member of your family to be the designated contact. If you have young children, make sure that they have that phone number memorized. It is also smart to create a list of contact numbers that include family members, neighbors, and other numbers that might be important in an emergency. Have that list accessible in everyone’s phone or make a print out sheet of it that can be stored in backpacks or purses.

Set a Meeting Point

If you need to evacuate the area, you will need to do so quickly. That is why your family members should know where you are supposed to meet in case of emergency in order for your group to get organized and ready to leave as quickly as possible. Agree upon two different meeting places. In case of a house fire or emergency unique to your home, have a neighbor's house or place close to home as the designated meeting spot. And in the case of a community emergency, assign a coffee shop, gas station, or other public meeting spot as the go-to point.

Create a Go Bag

Again, in the event of an emergency, you will need to leave home quickly. You will not have time to try to collect important belongings at that point. That is why assembling a go-bag beforehand is critical. Include things in your bag like important documents, medications, cash, flashlights, water, food, and a change of clothes for everyone. You can reference FEMA for a more comprehensive list of suggested go-bag items. Have one available in a closet close to the door or keep one in your car.​

When an emergency strikes, things will be chaotic. The more you can do to prepare now, the less confusion when your plan needs to be enacted. Montano Homes strives to create homes that can be a refuge for you. But if you need to leave yours, have your evacuation plan in place.

By Montano Homes | 1-21-2022