How to Create an Emergency-Exit Plan For Your Home

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.