Evacuation Plan Important During Natural Disasters

California wildfires have displaced 1 million people from their homes. These wildfires are reminders that natural disasters can strike at anytime. During emergencies there are often only minutes available to leave your home. It is important to have an evacuation plan in place in advance of any emergency. The Insurance Information Institute offers five steps to ensure a safe evacuation for you and your family during emergencies.

1. Plan Ahead

Select several places where you can go when you need to evacuate. These places can be local hotels, out of town friends or family, or local emergency shelters. Keep the phone numbers and addresses of these places in a central place where all of your family members can access it. Map out a primary and secondary route to these places. Keep a map handy with these routes highlighted. Also, select a specific place to meet or a person that can act as a central contact when family members are separated during an evacuation. Remember to listen to local radio or television stations for up to the minute evacuation instructions.

2. Keep a Home Inventory

Inventory your personal property. This will assist you when filing insurance claims. The Insurance Information Institute offers free software at http://www.knowyourstuff.org which allows you to upload digital pictures and receipts. It is important to keep a list of your inventory in a safe place. Use a safety deposit box, online storage system, or an out of town friend to store your list.

3. Emergency Packing

Decide ahead of time what you will take in the event of an emergency evacuation. Common items are medicines, bottle water, flashlights, battery powered radio, photos, pet food, infant and elderly care items, and computer hard drives.

4. Important Documents

Keep your important documents organized and in an place you can easily grab when faced with an evacuation.

5. Test Yourself

The Insurance Information Institute suggests you do a real time evacuation test. Give yourself 10 minutes to gather your family members, pets, and belongings into the car and on the road. A test will allow you to determine those places where your evacuation plan is flawed. In addition, it will minimize stress and confusion during an actual evacuation.

As Jeanne Salvatore, Senior Vice President of Insurance Information Institute, puts it, "With preparation and practice, you stand the best chance of getting out with what you and your family need, and ending up in the right place."

Sources:
McLean and Brennan, "California Fires Rout Almost 1 Million People, Kill 5 (Update5)", Bloomberg.com
Insurance Information Institute, "California Wildfires Provide Reminder That Everyone Should Have an Evacuation Plan", PR News Wire