Emergency Family Plan

Meet with your family and discuss what you need to prepare for the floods.
Include children during your discussion. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Make plans for childcare in case parents can’t get home.
Property can be replaced, not lives. Identify what should be moved first and what can wait for later stages. Move your things indoor and move belongings to higher locations. When you leave, secure your house as you normally would when leaving for an extended period.
Plan ahead how to take care of your pets.
Conduct a home-hazard search. During disaster, ordinary objects in your home can cause injury or damage. Anything that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire should be considered as hazard at home.
Tell children how and when to call is something that happens, could hurt people, cause damage.
Teach children how and when to call for help.
Teach children how to call your family contact in case they are separated from the family in an emergency. Help them memorize the telephone numbers.
Consider the special needs of elderly or disabled people.
Teach all responsible family members how and when how to turn off the electricity at the main fuse of the main switch, and turn off water at the main valve. Keep necessary tools near water shut off valves.
Discuss what you need to take care of in case authorities ask you to evacuate your residence. Immediately follow the advice of local officials and cooperate.
Be prepared. Keep with you enough of the prescription medication you may need. Keep the gas tank of your car or motorbike always full. Be familiar with escape routes, depending on the flooded areas.
Rendez-Vous Point: in case you can’t return home or you are asked to leave your neighbourhood, family members must be able to reunite. All family members must know the address of the rendez-vous points.
Consider your neighbourhood. Meet with your neighbours and plan how you could work together until emergency service reaches you.
Recommended Emergency Supplies:
Stock emergency supplies
Store these supplies in sturdy, clearly, easy-to-carry containers, such as backpacks.
Water: 5 liters per person and per day to drink and prepare food.
Food: consider non-perishable food stock (cans) which don’t require much cooking to prepare your meals.
Useful Tools
Small FM radio with spare batteries, knife, sealing tape, lighter or matches in a sealed container, whistle, small torch and spare batteries.
And don’t forget: Fire is the most frequent hazard following floods. Avoid using candles, candles can easily cause fires.
During flooding remain calm and patient.
Do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
Telephone lines are frequently overwhelmed in such a situation. They need to be clear for emergency calls to get through.
Listen to local radio for news and instructions.
Look for electrical system damage, if you see fallen power lines, sparks, or if you smell burning insulation, stay away and report the situation immediately.
Wear robust shoes. Flooded areas contain many hazards. The most common injury following flooding is cut feet.
Watch for landslide signs: change in the landscape, doors/windows jam for the first time, widening cracks in walls, outside walls and beware of the river embankments which are already potentially subject to landslides.

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