What
if I have to evacuate?
Simple
and convenient preparations
Updated 03jul09
Power outages, fires, floods,
earthquakes, wind, and storms can interrupt utilities, phones, stores,
ATMs, and travel. You can be forced to leave your home because of
flooding, sewage backflow, fire, chemical accident, or terrorist
threat. These things occur when you are least prepared. This is an
inexpensive common sense preparation document.
The large disaster relief
organizations can provide basic relief for a lot of people, but need a
few days to get set up. Wise people are prepared to handle problems on
their own for 3 days to a week.
Don't buy any survival kits or
anything you are not familiar with. After the power goes out is not the
time to try something out. Don't waste your money buying "special
survival food". It will probably get old before you need it.
This is not a complete guide to
preparation; it is only to give you a starting place. Experience,
training and special equipment provides better preparation. And nothing
is better than common sense (which doesn't seem to be very common).
Notice
Copyright 2005-2010 Ken Young (http://www.DinoDudes.com). All
rights reserved.
This document may be freely
redistributed for educational purposes at no charge in unaltered form.
This information is for educational
purposes only. There is no guarantee of any kind that it is accurate,
or that no harm will come to anyone who uses it.
This information is provided on an
"as is" basis with absolutely no warranty or guarantee. The information
is not necessarily correct, complete, or suitable for any particular
use. The entire risk is with you. Should harm arise from using this
information, you assume responsibility for all damages and injuries. In
no event shall the copyright holder, or any other party, be liable for
compensation or damages arising from the use, misuse, failure to use,
or inability to use this information.
Prepare to evacuate
- Make a quick-exit list of what
to take so nothing is forgotten. Include the probable locations of
these items. Mark certain items as essential (and put them at the top
of the list) in case you have to leave immediately with only what you
can carry. List items together if they are close to each other. Update
the list annually. Tape the list to the inside of a closet or cabinet
door where you keep some of the stuff. You must be able to get ready in
15 minutes; time how long it takes to touch everything on the list.
Getting it below 10 minutes is better; you might not have a
quarter-hour.
- There are certain records,
valuables, and heirlooms you do not want to lose. List them and where
they usually are. Update the list annually. The valuables should all
fit on one container, perhaps a special briefcase or plastic box. Tape
the list of valuables inside the lid. If the time of need should ever
come, dump the Christmas ornaments out of the container, round up
everything on the valuables list, and put them in. You must be able to
round everything up in 5 minutes; time how long it takes to touch
everything on the list. The time you spend rounding up valuables counts
against the 15-minute quick-exit.
- Maintain a travel kit,
everything you need to travel except clothes. This is great for
traveling, too. Put spare glasses in the travel kit so your vacation
won't be ruined. You can buy glasses over the Internet for $40.
- Keep a zip-kit in your car. It is small, cheap,
and is just enough to get you home.
- Keep a 72-hour kit in the trunk of your car
in case you have to leave in a hurry, or if you can't even go home. It
is small and affordable, but lets you get by for a few days away from
home. It is pretty handy for to have this stuff in your car.
- Maintain a camping kit, even if
you do not camp. Camp once a year whether you like it or not to stay
ready.
- Pets usually do better if you
leave them behind than if you try to bring them. They only need saving
from fires and floods. If you bring them, they will find a way to
escape and get lost. If you leave them, they will be there when you
return.
- Rescue workers must sometimes
shoot pets to save their owners. Leave the pets behind.
- Most shelters cannot take pets.
You will be sleeping in the car in the cold with your pets walking all
over you. To make room you will put your possessions out in the rain.
- Do not turn pets loose unless
necessary; emergency vehicles hit them. This kills the pet and disables
the emergency vehicle. People will be endangered by the loss of the
emergency vehicle.
- When preparing to evacuate in a
hurry, the first thing to do is turn off the ringers on all the phones.
The phones will ring non-stop when everyone you know calls to make sure
you are OK and talk about the disaster. It will take several minutes to
reassure each one that you are OK and will be leaving soon. Except you
won't because you are talking on the phone instead. If not getting out
in time is a possibility, the phone will make not getting out in time
possible.
Things to put on your quick-exit
list
- Money (cash, checks, credit
cards, etc). This is essential.
- Everyones travel kit (probably
essential)
- A cell phone, charger, &
phone numbers of everyone you know (possibly essential)
- Boots, raingear and jackets
(bring spare shoes if you are wearing the boots). Disposable galoshes
may work for you.
- A suitcase or two full of
clothes for 3 days, preferably with their hangers
- The box of valuables
- IDs, passports, et cetera.
- Gasoline
- 3 days supplies for everyones
special needs (medicines, baby food, feminine hygiene, etc)
- The camping kit
- The household emergency kit
- Water for a few days
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- The computer backups
- Flashlights and lots of
batteries
- A toolbox
- Bring a garden trowel, trash
bags, and 3 days worth of toilet paper or baby wipes. Baby wipes are
better than toilet paper, and can be used for cleaning other things.
- A days worth of food that does
not require cooking or refrigeration. This can be bread and peanut
butter.
- A bath towel & washcloth
for everyone
- 3 wire coat hangers per person,
best accomplished by bringing the clothes with their hangars.
- Since you are going to ignore
all advice to leave the pets behind, bring pooper-scoopers to clean up
after them until they escape.
This quick-exit list is sorted with
the most important items on top in case you run out of time, and
assumes you are leaving in a car. Group items on the list according to
where they are to make them easier to round up. Do not bring stuff not
on the list, unless you are sure the house will be destroyed. The two
big mistakes are to bring too much stuff and to take too long getting
out.
Make a note at the bottom of the
list: Turn off the electricity (and possibly the gas) if you expect
flooding. Floodwater can short out wiring and burn your house down to
the waterline.
Assume that if you have to evacuate
because of the danger of fire, flood, or storm that your neighbors will
too. Assume you are evacuating to a place with food, shelter, and
medical care, but you may have to go without for a day or so.
The traffic getting out will be stop
& go. The people who take too long to get ready will be stuck in it
the longest. If not getting out in time is a possibility, these are the
ones who won't make it.