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AT HOME
Step 3: Develop a Family Emergency PlanOnce you know what types of emergencies can happen in your community, develop a family emergency plan. Arrange a meeting with your family to discuss why you need to prepare for an emergency. Talk about the types of emergencies that could happen and explain what to do in each case. For information about preparing for specific emergencies go to Preparing for Specific Emergencies Everyone should know what to do in the event all family members are not together when an emergency happens. Discussing emergency situations ahead of time will help to reduce fear and anxiety and will help everyone know how to respond. • Pick two places to meet:
Everyone must know the address and phone number of both of the meeting places. Click here for a printable Family Meeting Place/Contact Card [PDF] • Develop an emergency communications plan. In case family members are separated from one another during an emergency, have a plan for getting back together. Separation is a possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school/daycare. • Ask an out-of-town relative or friend to be your family contact. Your contact should live outside of your area. After an emergency it is often easier to make a long distance call than a local call. Family members should call the contact and tell him or her where they are. Everyone must know the contact’s name, address and phone number. Click here for a printable Family Meeting Place/Contact Card [PDF] • Discuss what to do if authorities ask you to evacuate. Before an emergency happens, make arrangements for a place to stay with a friend or relative who lives out of town. To learn more about evacuations, go to Learn What You Should Do If Asked to Evacuate Make arrangements for the care of your pets in the event of an emergency. With the exception of service animals, pets are generally not permitted in emergency evacuation centres. Before an emergency happens, plan where you would take your pets if you could not take them with you to a public emergency evacuation centre. For more information about pets and emergencies, go to Remember Your Pets and Prepare a Pet Emergency Survival Kit. • Teach all family members how to properly turn off the water, gas and electricity in your home. Keep any tools necessary to shut off these utilities near the shut-off valves. Do not turn off you utilities unless you suspect a leak or if you are instructed to do so by authorities. If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on. • Take an emergency first aid course and a CPR class from a recognized provider, such as Canadian Red Cross or St. John Ambulance.
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