How to Make an Emergency Response Plan

There are many different types of emergency response plans that can be made. Ones for businesses, hospitals, schools, and homes.

In this article, I will focus on emergency response plans for the home.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• buy-in from the entire household
• ability to practice your plan

1. Call a family meeting and discuss the need for a plan in case of emergency and they need to get out of the house.

2. Ask everyone what they would do in cases of fire, gas leaks, medical emergencies, home invasion, and any other situations specific to your household (such as if someone has a heart condition or diabetes).

3. Take a tour of the house and show all possible means of escape from each room in case of a fire or home invasion. The most important thing is to get out of the house.

4. If no one knows CPR or basic first aid, be sure that everyone who can take a class takes one. For the kids who may not be old enough, be sure that they know how to dial 911, that they know their name, the names of all family members, their address and telephone number. If you live close to your neighbors, like I do, you may also instruct them to go to a neighbors house to explain the situation.

5. Establish a meeting place for your family in case of evacuation of your house or town so that if you cannot make phone calls, then you all know where to meet.

6. Practice different scenarios so that everyone is comfortable with what to do in an emergency. This is very important because what we practice is what we'll do when the real thing happens.

7. Post any and all relevant emergency phone numbers near all house phones and in all cell phones (911 is already there but you may want certain family members in there as well as any other emergency numbers if yours is not 911 and the number to Poison Control).

8. Remind everyone that it is important to remain calm in order to save your life and perhaps the lives of other people.

9. If any family member has a serious medical condition in which they may not be able to communicate vital information, be sure they get a medical ID bracelet. This will enable emergency personnel to gain vital information on the patient including emergency contacts, the name and number of their doctor, what medications they are taking, and if there are any known allergies.

10. Remember to also change the batteries in your smoke detector each time we set daylight savings time (or every six months). You may also want to install a CO detector as well (carbon monoxide).

11. Practice your emergency response plan at regular intervals.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep important emergency numbers at easy reach.
• Remember to keep calm.
• Practice your plan.
• Be sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do.
• Get any necessary medical ID bracelets.
• Don't let emergency preparedness allow you to become paranoid. This is for your safety.
• Don't scare your family. Keep information at a level everyone can understand, especially children.

Resources

• American Red Cross
• Emergency Preparedness

[sunshine11219]

on 12/27/2008 such great life saving advice