We know that protecting your home and family
is a top priority. You never know when disaster may strike, so it's important
to create emergency protocols that you and your family can easily follow in
times of stress. Continue reading to learn more about how to create an
emergency exit plan your family can follow to be prepared for any situation.
Identifying Exit Routes
The first thing
you’ll want to do when creating your emergency exit plan is to identify your
exits. It’s important to make note of all exits in each room of your home and
to use these points to create a safe pathway outside of your home. Ideally,
there will be at least two exit points in each room.
Preparing Supplies
While you won’t be able to stop and grab your
emergency supplies in every emergency, there are situations in which you will
want to have prepared emergency supplies for a quick and efficient evacuation.
Situations like these may include a wildfire that hasn’t yet spread to your
location, or an incoming hurricane. You’ll want to store your emergency
supplies in a location that is easy to access and near a point of exit. Flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, water
supply, and non-perishable/easy-to-prepare food items are all good emergency
items to have on hand. Pro-tip: Pre-pack
these items into grab-and-go backpacks so that you aren’t wasting precious time
when it matters most.
Assigning a Meeting Spot
Designating a spot where everyone in your home
should go once outside will help ensure that everyone is safe and accounted for.
The meeting area should also be visible to responders so they can spot you
quickly while also being a safe distance from your home.
Practice Makes Perfect
Practicing your home exit plan with your
family will help to get them familiar and comfortable in an evacuation
situation. Be aware that children may not wake up to a smoke alarm, so making
sure that everyone is up and alert is a very important step to practice. You
might consider assigning each child to an adult who will be responsible for making
sure the child is awake and exiting the home. This can make for a quicker
evacuation if you have children who sleep in separate bedrooms.
Making Your Plan Visible
You will want to map out your plan and keep it
somewhere in the home that you and your family will see often and can become
acquainted with it. You might consider posting your emergency exit plan on the
refrigerator or at a common point of entry. Pro-tip: Laminating your emergency exit plan to protect it from
general wear and tear will ensure that the messaging is clear and easy to read.
Now that you know how to create a home
emergency exit plan, it’s time to put your knowledge to use. Check out the link
below for our free downloadable home emergency exit template.
