KNOW THE DANGERS TO PREPARE FOR – FIND Which Disasters your Location may be in Danger of Remember, weather predictions are NOT 100% correct so floods can be worse, rains last longer, winds change during wild fires, landslides due to drought/fire damage; storm surge flooding, fires, flash floods, tornado or high winds, tsunami and earthquakes all may occur where they have not before.
Check your are for chemical storage plants in case of explosion, railroad tracks in case of derailment, near airports or damns/lakes/levees also could be active shooter scenario or other types of dangers.
Figure out how your household gets away from your home to safety. Have 2 to 3 ways to leave to safety. A wildfire can block one direction, a flood can make a low lying road unable to drive through, other hazards can close a bridge. 1. Find your zones and hazards – flood, fire, storm surge 2. Find your official evacuation map – Many states have designated evacuation zones and predetermined evacuation routes. Learn your state and local plans by visiting your state and county emergency management websites. Search name of your state or address: ___________________ evacuation zones 3. Where will you GO for which disaster – you may go farther away for flood or fire. Destination 1, Destination 2, Destination 3 Where you are going – Is location out of danger area? If conditions change, is there an evacuation plan from there and can you go there or need a different, 2nd location to go to? Call and check on shelters in your area. What are their rules for children, pets, special needs, hours and daily routines? Do you need ID to enter shelter? Is this a cooling shelter, warming shelter, power outage shelter? Search – shelters in my area A shelter may be closer and safer than traveling the road. Is there a local church or community center, a school or other business that opens for people seeking shelter? IF you plan is for a hotel or motel – Call to learn how far ahead you need to make reservations due to rooms will fill up quickly. Ask about total costs including pets or if have an extra bed can place in room if needed. Figure the total cost of room and food for 2-3 days. Save that amount in cash in case electronic payment systems are not working such as debit or credit card processors. Put cash with GO BAG. Search name of your state:____________________emergency shelter 4. Find 3 routes to safety – not always the fastest depending on WHY going, a flood route, fire route, chemical spill route, tornado route, etc. Route A, Route B Backup Route in case A is close, Route C – trapped in the neighborhood – this is where shelter or evacuation center may have to be used. 5. Drive or walk all the routes before an emergency: Keep gasoline level in vehicle(s) at half tank. When gets to half, re-fill tank to full. 6. Make a plan WITHOUT a vehicle – neighbor, a shelter, fire station, shelter in place and how 7. Do you have elderly or others with mobility issues, do they need a different route? 8. Household Rule: Make sure EVERYONE knows the plan of where we will meet or going. Prevents fear of 1 person at grandmothers house and another person goes to a friends house or stays at work. What is the school or work procedure? Would they shelter in place or be evacuated, to where? Call and find out procedure so everyone knows where their people are without panic. 9. Pick a Central Person to let them know you are evacuating. Make sure EVERYONE knows who the central person is so they can check in, call for updates or give information and that EVERYONE has that persons name and phone number in their phone AND written down and on their person, like in their GO BAG in a sandwich bag to keep paper dry. 9. Keep plan where you can access without internet or cell service. Take a picture, write down and make copies for the refrigerator and keep one in a plastic sandwich bag inside GO BAG. 10. When you leave, send a quick message or text to the Central Person saying Am evacuating, will give an update soon. 11. Don’t go back until authorities have cleared the area for safety – embers can re-start fires, landslide, etc.
Find Zones for type of Disaster to prepare for, Find Evacuation Routes, Make a plan, Discuss with household, Practice Plan Feel prepared for – When they tell me to evacuate, I know where Im going and work work my plan.
Suggestions to get started in your research that should include local government searches for local evacuation plans.
United States: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home?
https://www.usgs.gov/products/web-tools/all-web-tools
https://dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/ Current water or rain or flood conditions: https://water.noaa.gov/#@=-86.249663,36.9586626,4.3561148&b=topographic&g=obsFcst,1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!0!0!0!0!0,0.5,1!1!1!1!0,0,0,true,5,10,1!1!1!1!1!0&ab=0,0,#D94B4A,1,1,1,#cccccc,1,0,0,#B243B1,1,0,0,#98E09A,1,false&a=hydrologic,0.35,false&s=0,0,0.9,0.9,false&n=false,#72afe9,0.9,0,0.9,0,0.9,false&p=false,0.75,0,7,0,1,2026,8,18,0,false&d=0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,#006EFF,1,#006EFF,1,#006EFF,false&q=
Fire Monitoring https://app.watchduty.org
UK – Flood risk UK and surround countries by address https://check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk/search Monitor current floods https://www.floodradar.co.uk
Flood zones Canada by address https://geo.ca/flood-mapping/
Wild fires Canada https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/en/
New Zealand – earthquake, landslide, storm, volcano, tsunami information by address https://www.naturalhazardsportal.govt.nz/map/
Europe
Europe Emergency management and interactive maps https://emergency.copernicus.eu
Japan https://disaportal.gsi.go.jp
Australia https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/community-safety/data-and-products
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