5 Essential Elements of a Storm Evacuation Plan
Be ready to make a quick getaway from a storm with these tips for packing up, planning and protecting your home while you're away
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
| Share: |
|
The storm's coming — and you're going. Whether you're ordered to evacuate during a flood or hurricane or make the choice on your own, you'll need to be ready to act fast. Here's how to prepare as thoroughly as possible for a quick escape from home and how to ease the shock of displacement until you can return.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| 1. Preassemble emergency kits for every member of the household, including pets. If you live in a region at risk for hurricanes or flooding, pack these kits now and keep them in an easy-to-grab location should you ever need them. Include:
|
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
2. Plan where you'll go and how you'll get there. The path of a storm is unpredictable, so choose two or three locations in different directions: hotels, family members' or friends' homes, emergency shelters etc. If there are too many people in your household to fit into a single vehicle, confirm that everyone knows which spot to head to, based on where the storm is projected to travel. If you have pets, make sure the temporary location you choose is pet friendly; many shelters prohibit animals.
Map an exit route out of town, but have in mind an alternate in case your original choice is closed or becomes impassable. A GPS unit or a map also can be useful if you're traveling through unfamiliar territory.
3. Know what you'll grab on your way out the door. In addition to your emergency kits, "It's the four p's: people, pets, pills and pictures," says Houzz user bekp, who has plenty of evacuation experience living in North Dakota's flood-prone Red River Valley. "The rest can eventually be replaced." Be sure also to take your purse or wallet, laptop or tablet, cell phone and chargers with you. Children may want to bring a favorite stuffed animal or toy.
Florida gulf coast resident Kerry Christopher, who evacuated during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, suggests bringing your latest pile of dirty clothes. His rationale: They're items you've worn recently that work together and that you probably like.
Map an exit route out of town, but have in mind an alternate in case your original choice is closed or becomes impassable. A GPS unit or a map also can be useful if you're traveling through unfamiliar territory.
3. Know what you'll grab on your way out the door. In addition to your emergency kits, "It's the four p's: people, pets, pills and pictures," says Houzz user bekp, who has plenty of evacuation experience living in North Dakota's flood-prone Red River Valley. "The rest can eventually be replaced." Be sure also to take your purse or wallet, laptop or tablet, cell phone and chargers with you. Children may want to bring a favorite stuffed animal or toy.
Florida gulf coast resident Kerry Christopher, who evacuated during Hurricane Ivan in 2004, suggests bringing your latest pile of dirty clothes. His rationale: They're items you've worn recently that work together and that you probably like.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
4. Gas up your car. If there's even a slim chance you might need to evacuate, go ahead and top off your tank now. Otherwise you'll be sitting in a long, crawling line of cars at the pump.
5. Protect your home. Unplug all the electric appliances you can, leaving your refrigerator on unless instructed otherwise. Switch off heat, air conditioning, fans and vent systems. Shut off your water and gas if ordered to do so. Be aware that you'll need professional help to turn these utilities back on, and after a disaster, the wait time could be as long as a couple of weeks.
Bring patio furniture and any other loose outdoor items inside. Remove rugs and bric-a-brac from the floor and lower cabinets and place them as high as you can if flooding is a possibility. Lock doors and windows and secure storm shutters or cover windows with plywood if needed.
If you have time, tie the bottoms of draperies and swags to the curtain rod to prevent them from water damage, suggests Houzz user bekp in the Comments to a story about Hurricane Sandy. "Sometimes it's just the small things — that there is something that you can save/restore from before the flood/storm that can make a huge difference," writes bekp.
5. Protect your home. Unplug all the electric appliances you can, leaving your refrigerator on unless instructed otherwise. Switch off heat, air conditioning, fans and vent systems. Shut off your water and gas if ordered to do so. Be aware that you'll need professional help to turn these utilities back on, and after a disaster, the wait time could be as long as a couple of weeks.
Bring patio furniture and any other loose outdoor items inside. Remove rugs and bric-a-brac from the floor and lower cabinets and place them as high as you can if flooding is a possibility. Lock doors and windows and secure storm shutters or cover windows with plywood if needed.
If you have time, tie the bottoms of draperies and swags to the curtain rod to prevent them from water damage, suggests Houzz user bekp in the Comments to a story about Hurricane Sandy. "Sometimes it's just the small things — that there is something that you can save/restore from before the flood/storm that can make a huge difference," writes bekp.
Ideabook published on Nov. 12, 2012.
Latest Ideabooks
View over a million photos:
Find Local Pros by Category:
Architects & Designers · Interior Designers & Decorators · General Contractors · Home Media Design & Installation · Landscape Architects & Designers · Kitchen & Bath Designers · Design-build Firms · Closet & Home Storage Designers · Carpet and Flooring · Fireplaces · Tile, Stone & Countertops · Specialty Contractors · Landscape Contractors
Find Local Pros by Metro Area:
Atlanta · Austin · Baltimore · Boston · Chicago · Dallas · Dc Metro · Denver · Detroit · Hawaii · Houston · Las Vegas · Los Angeles · Miami · Minneapolis · Nashville · New Orleans · New York · Philadelphia · Phoenix · Portland · Salt Lake City · San Diego · San Francisco · Seattle · St Louis
1. Create a "save first list" that lists the names/descriptions/locations of things you will want to take during an evacuation e.g. Grandma's cameo pendant is in the bedroom wall safe.
Don't forget to list things like "litter for litter box". Such details are often overlooked at times of stress.
2. Create a "save first" documents file & put it in an easy-to-find place like the front of a file cabinet drawer. It should contain _copies_ of id, credit card info & other essential/irreplaceable documents already mentioned. Originals should be in another place like a safe deposit box.
3. If fragile items are on your "save 1st" list, be sure that the associated packing materials are kept close at hand. So the fitted, padded box for Grandma's antique glass candlestick should be kept near the dining room, _not_ in the random pile of packing boxes in the basement.
This might have helped more people had it been featured right about the time the data showed that Sandy was going to be shoved into the northeastern states.
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster-safety-library