Prepare yourself and your family for emergencies and disasters by stockpiling supplies, developing a plan, and staying updated on it. Find tips tailored for people of different ages, abilities and mobility challenges as well as those with hearing, learning or visual impairment.
Establish emergency plans tailored specifically to each hazard or threat at your facility. Discuss them with public emergency services so they can safely manage incidents at your site.
1. Create a Back-Up Plan
An emergency plan allows individuals to anticipate disasters that could impact them at home and in their community, and plan how best to connect with loved ones during an emergency situation.
Employers are mandated by occupational health and safety legislation to create, implement, and communicate emergency plans at their work sites. A well-considered plan can lead to reduced employee injuries and less facility damage as a result.
Federal agency emergency preparedness plans must include accommodations for workers with disabilities. This is essential, since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment and requires agencies to make reasonable accommodations during emergencies – which could include creating an effective communication process or providing additional equipment or other support services as required by their employees.
2. Create a Family Emergency Plan
Establishing a family emergency plan is an integral step toward protecting yourself and your loved ones in an emergency situation. Address any special needs of your household like pet care, transportation needs and safely shutting off utilities. Make sure all members of your household know about the plan as well as any plans at work, schools/daycare facilities for children in your care, etc.
Install emergency contact numbers near phones with auto-dial capabilities and instruct everyone in your household on how to use 911. Also identify meeting locations and evacuation routes; include all family members in creating the plan and practice it twice annually by performing evacuation/shelter-in-place drills as part of your emergency drill plan; review/update this plan according to any issues that arise.
3. Create a Disaster Supply List
Disasters can strike at any moment, making it critical that families keep an emergency supply kit handy in case disaster strikes. Being prepared could mean all the difference when trapped in a tornado, severe winter storm, flood or wildfire hits; having all necessary supplies available will make a difference between survival and despair.
An emergency supply kit should include one gallon of water per person, enough non-perishable food to last three days and basic tools. In addition, first aid supplies, battery-powered or hand-crank radio with extra batteries, flashlight and fire extinguisher should also be included in a basic supply kit.
Create grab-and-go kits for your home, workplace and vehicle. Keep one kit at each location and store them in easily portable containers like plastic bins or duffel bags – periodically review to ensure its contents are up to date.
4. Create a Communication Plan
Break-ins and other security incidents can be devastatingly costly in terms of repairs and stolen items, not to mention emotionally traumatizing for family members who feel threatened within their own homes. Therefore, it’s crucial that a comprehensive communication plan exists that covers more than simply how you will notify family or stakeholders in case of emergency events – there are various approaches you could use depending on the needs and audiences involved with your project or audience – viaSport in British Columbia offers this handy guide and this resource by the MED about how best to create one
5. Create an Evacuation Plan
Evacuation plans are essential in any home, workplace, or school environment. By designating meeting spots for evacuation and meeting points after an emergency has struck, it can ensure everyone’s wellbeing following any incident.
Create an escape route for every room in the house by finding two ways out and making sure they can be easily reached. Practice with family members, particularly children so they know what to do in an emergency situation. A fire drill during both daytime and night time may be useful as part of testing your plan.
Workplaces must establish an evacuation plan with clear chains of command to designate who has authority to evacuate and procedures for providing assistance for people with disabilities or special needs. Furthermore, there should be an agreed place outside for meeting up after evacuation has taken place.