Home Emergency Plan
Home Emergency Plan
A home emergency plan may involve different areas of the house and property (stairs, swimming pool, entrance to the property, potential hazards in the yard, etc.) or type of potential emergency (loss of employment, injuries, poison, drowning, natural disaster, etc.). Consider all potential risks to your family, you personally, visitors to your property, personal property, and real estate and have a plan for each area of risk.
To begin your home emergency plan begin with the area or type of emergency you may be most vulnerable to experiencing the greatest set back, if it were to occur. For example, if you feel that you and your family are most exposed to potential flooding, due to your close proximity to a river. You may want to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Has your property ever been flooded before? (Contact your city, county and/or state for information on flooding on or around your property, even if you live in an apartment building)
2. Do the tubs, showers, and sinks in your home have overflow valves and are they working properly? What would happen if your tub, shower, or sinks over flowed and caused extensive water damage? Do you have adequate insurance to cover the damage? Who would you call for assistance if you can’t stop the water?
3. If you have a basement, do you adequate drainage capacity? Do you have a sump pump? If so, is it in good working condition and does it have the capacity to remove water fast enough if your basement floods?
4. If there is a real risk of flooding on your property, what is the magnitude of potential damage?
5. Where will you and your family go if your property is flooded?
6. Do you have adequate flood insurance and will it cover replacement of all property and belongings?
7. Do you have essential items for at least 72 hours stored in water proof containers that can be loaded quickly into a vehicle? In some cases you may have little or no warning of an impending flood, such as what happened to the residents that lived below the Teton Dam that broke in 1976.
8. Do you know who you may need to contact in the event of a flood? (Emergency response personnel, city/county/state officials, weather bureau, etc.)
Of course, this list of questions could be expanded for your individual situation and can also be adapted for other types of emergencies.
If you do experience a flood you may need to stay away from your property for up to 72 hours or longer. Reply to us below if you would like a checklist of items for a 72 hour kit.
Tags: Flood emergency, Home Emergencies
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