Do you have an emergency family plan? We live in a fallen and broken world. That means we will deal with natural disasters, man-made disasters, war, etc. Because of this we need to have an emergency family plan. An emergency family plan is a way to keep your family together and safe and I would say it is something vital each family needs to have and know. We also have an emergency medical form you can download and print to keep with your emergency family plan supplies.
Emergency Family Plan
When I was a child we had a little bit of an emergency family plan. Because break-ins, fire, and tornadoes were the biggest threat we had a plan for all 3. Each one was different, but we knew what we needed to do in case of an emergency. The only emergency family plan we ever had to enact was the tornado one. Unfortunately in this day and age most families, particularly those in cities, need to have different emergency family plans for probably a few different situations. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
What Is An Emergency Family Plan?
An emergency family plan is a plan you make with your household to prepare for whatever situation may arise. Each plan is personalized for your family based on the disaster and everyone’s capabilities. And this plan can also involve family member’s outside the household if you have multiple members living in the same area.
What Type Of Things Do You Need In Your Emergency Family Plan?
Now that you know what an emergency family plan is, what do you need to plan for? Well, that depends on the disaster. But the types of things you should have in your emergency family plan are:
- Emergency Contacts
- Emergency Supplies: food, water, pet food, medicine, first aid kit, fuel, weapons, etc.
- Teach Family Members Certain Skills (like elderly learning to text.)
- Have A Meeting Place (near and far)
- Know How To Dial 911
- Items To Grab During A Fire or Flood (if possible)
- Safe Point In The House In Case Of Tornado or Hurricane
- Where To Go If There Is An Earthquake
And those are just a few of the things that can be in your family plan. Because situations are different. Like I said, nowadays there is so much to prepare for since we have the threats of war, civil unrest, and natural disasters on the rise. There is a lot to consider when it comes to preparing for a disaster from safety, protection, food, water, and medical stuff. Speaking of medical stuff… you can download and print your own medical emergency form to keep with your emergency family plan here:
Needs To Consider In Your Household When Making An Emergency Family Plan?
As you prepare your family plan, you have to break down your plan by person. And when you have all the responsibilities figured out and doled out, you need to discuss them with each family member. Discussing them will help everyone understand what to do in case of emergency. And in some cases you can practice these responsibilities (like grabbing a sibling in a shared bedroom and going out the window to practice a fire drill.) It may seem a little scary talking about these types of things and practicing them, but doing these things regularly will help prepare the mind when disaster strikes. Knowing what to do will help keep panic away if a time of emergency ever happens.
Some of the things to consider when make your family disaster plan is:
- The Age Of Each Family Members
- Who Is Responsible For Helping Who
- Locations You Regularly Go (Grandma’s house, summer home, etc)
- Everyone’s Allergies and Dietary Needs
- Medical Information, Prescriptions, and Equipment
- Disabilities or Functional Needs
- Pets/Service Animals
- School Aged and College Students
- Traveling Parents
How To Plan For Different Disasters With Your Family
Every disaster needs to be treated differently and so let’s go through a few different scenario and things you can do.
1. Fire Disaster Plan
Fires can happen any time of the day. And you have to be prepared. So what are things you should know during a fire? Your family should know:
- At least 2 ways to leave every room which is usually the door and window.
- Practice crawling or moving low since smoke rise to help avoid inhalation of smoke.
- What the fire alarm sounds like for children who have never heard it.
- Practice this fire drill at least twice a year.
Growing up, my mom made sure we knew how to get out the windows in our room, how to remove the screens, and carefully get down. We were to wait for our parents at the end of the of the driveway which was over an acre away from the house. We were told not to worry about any stuff, just wake our siblings (or grab them if it was during the day) and get out.
2. Plan In Case Of A Break In
Crime is at an all time high in many cities. Not to mention we have seen a ton of civil unrest. So the threat of a break in is something everyone should be prepared for. But what are things you need to consider when someone is breaking in:
- Figure out a safe room in the house that has a lock or has multiple doors/locks. (Master bathroom in the master bedroom is a good place as it is 2 doors and 2 locks.)
- Make sure everyone who is old enough is properly trained with weapons to defend themselves. Anyone who is not trained should not be using weapons as they are more likely to hurt themselves or others.
- Someone must have their phone to call 911.
- Stay low in case guns are shot.
Growing up, us girls were not taught how to use weapons. Rather, we were told to grab each other, go to the bathroom, lock the door, and call 911. We were told to leave the light off, not make a sound, and do not come out unless we were told to by the police or one of my parents. And as an adult, I was also told this… THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, but what I was told to do. “If you must defend yourself do not talk to the police until you have a lawyer. Tell the officer “I want to be cooperative, but I need to talk to my lawyer first.” Again, not legal advice, not telling you what to do, but what I was told to do.
3. Hurricane Disaster Plan
If you’re on the coast or near the coast you have to be prepared for hurricane season. Luckily, hurricanes give you time (most times) to escape. But sometimes leaving is not an option (I’m looking at Houston where more people would die trying to evacuate). So how do you prepare if you’re staying or when you’re leaving?
- Have at LEAST 3 days of food of water for everyone. I honestly think people should have at least a weeks worth or more per person.
- Cash, batteries, flash lights, candles, medications, first aid kits, back up batteries for phones, stuff to keep kids preoccupied, pet food, etc…is a must.
- Have a plan of where you are going in case you need to evacuate. Going to a relative’s house? A friend’s house? A hotel or airbnb in another city or town? Don’t wait until last minute to figure it out.
- If you have a house, a generator can be a life saver.
- Living near the coast where surge is a problem be prepared for floods. Rains can be an issue too.
- Storm shutters or extra wood are a must to have on hand if you’re staying.
My husband and I always have a extra water and food during hurricane season. We weren’t quite prepared for hurricane Harvey, because it wasn’t supposed to be bad for us. Next thing we know we have 50 inches of rain. The second hurricane I was much more prepared. It wasn’t supposed to be a hurricane, but that changed and I was without power. Luckily I had canned goods, water, and battery light sources to get me through it until the power came back on.
4. Tornado Disaster Plan
If you live in the Midwest or the south then you know about tornados. The spring, summer, and fall are a hot mess when it comes to severe weather. I remember we even had tornado drills at school. So how do you prepare for tornadoes?
- Find the most inner part of your home without windows. If you have a bathroom, hall, or closet that isn’t on an outer wall, that’s where you want to go.
- If you can, get in the bathtub with a mattress over you.
- Some people have basements or cellars and those are also safe places to go.
- When it hits, get down on your knees and lean forward with your head near the floor and cover your head with your hands.
School tornado drills had us doing the last suggestion in the hallways. I’ve been in a number of tornadoes. One my sisters, myself, and my mom were in a car and it nearly tipped. The second one I recall destroyed my home town and my neighbor’s house 2 days before my birthday. It was sad.
5. Earthquake Disaster Plan
I’ve never experienced a strong earthquake. I do recall a few news stories growing up talking about a couple smaller earthquakes near where I lived. So, what do you do during an earthquake?
- If outside, get away from trees, buildings, and poles. Once in the open away from everything get down until the shaking stops.
- If you’re inside your home get away from the windows and find cover. Get down and stay down beneath a desk or table. Cover your head with your arms. That way if anything falls it won’t do as much damage. Use your hands to hang onto your shelter. Do not stand in the doorway. They are not the strongest part of the house in modern houses.
- If in a high rise do the same thing mentioned above. Do NOT use the elevators and if you are trapped tap on metal parts to be heard. Do this if you’re trapped in your home too.
- If you’re in a business then get away from doorways because people are going to rush them. Get away from shelves and try to find something to take cover with.
- In your car? Then you need to stop quickly and safely. Stop on the shoulder away from poles and wires and overpasses. Stay in your car and set the break. Use your radio for emergency information. If wires fall on your car stay in it, do NOT get out. Once safe drive safely as there will be other debris.
- If you’re near the ocean then you need to evacuate as soon as the shaking stops as a tsunami is possible. You need to get at least 2 miles in or 100 feet above sea level.
- Have a way to get in contact with everyone whether it’s social media, text message, or a meeting place (if everyone can carefully get there.)
6. Civil Unrest or Warfare Plan
Jordan, is this plan really necessary? Yes, if you remember “the summer of love” and by that I mean all the riots in 2020, and you’ve seen the news about civil war and world war…then you know this is now a serious threat that you have to consider. So how do you prepare for civil unrest, civil ware, or war?
- Stay at home if you can. Do NOT go outside to check out what’s going on, you want to avoid the chaos.
- Have at LEAST 72 hours worth of food and water, toilet paper, medications, pet food, etc.
- Avoid the situation. If you’re away when unrest starts, quickly get home if possible and avoid areas with large crowds.
- Do NOT let the crowd stop you. There are too many stories of the mob killing and hurting people. Turn around or whatever to avoid the crowd from stopping you.
- If you find yourself outside of the car when it starts then quickly find shelter away from the dangerous crowd.
- Be prepared, but don’t look prepared. Keep a low profile, keep your supplies discrete, weapons hidden.
- In case you can’t stay, have a grab bag prepared, extra gas (full tank and in a gas can).
- Have a designated area outside of the city to go. Or have a place within your town if you’re separated when civil unrest or chaos breaks out.
Keep up with the news so you know where it is most dangerous and more importantly be prepared to protect you and your family. While it may feel like it won’t ever end, it has to end at some point.
Emergency Medical Information Form Printable PDF File
If you have elderly, young children, special needs, or if you have special medication and conditions this pdf is something great to keep around with all of your medical supplies just in case. Click the button to download and print your free printable emergency medical information page to keep with the rest of your family emergency plan.
An Emergency Family Plan Is A Must In A Crazy World
The world is nuts right now, maybe it has always been nuts, but we just never realized it. Whatever the problem is, things feel out of whack. Threats of war, natural disasters, civil unrest…all of it can be very scary. But we know that 1. God has got us and 2. We have an emergency family plan. Don’t be caught with your pants down, rather, be prepared. You can’t be 100% prepared for everything, but being even a little bit prepared can make hardship much easier.
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Do you have an emergency family plan?