Family Disaster Plan

See also:

• Preparing your home for natural emergencies
• What to do in an earthquake
• Home Hazard Hunt
• Returning home after a disaster
• Helping children cope with disaster

Planning for a disaster involves more than just doing physical preparations on your home. Every member of your household should know what to do and where to go if an emergency happens.

Educate Yourself

Learn the types of natural disasters in your region

Local emergency management or civil defense officials can identify which disasters are most likely to hit your community.

Identify which human-caused or technological disasters can affect your region

Hazardous materials accidents can occur anywhere where chemical substances are stored, manufactured, or transported.

Learn whether your community has a warning system

Not all communities have public warning systems. Contact the local emergency management or civil defense office to find out whether your community has a warning system and if so, how it operates.

Workplace and school emergency response plans

Employers and school officials should have a detailed emergency response (evacuation) plan that is available to the public.

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Developing a Household Plan

Keep it simple

Household emergency plans should be kept simple enough so people can remember the details. A disaster is an extremely stressful situation that can create confusion. The best emergency plans are those with very few details.

Identify escape routes

Depending upon the type of disaster, it may be necessary to evacuate the home. Plan several escape routes in case certain roads are blocked or closed.

Identify meeting places

In case family members are separated from one another (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.

• Choose two meeting places. The first meeting place should be a location right outside the home. The site is where household members would meet in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire. The second meeting place should be a building or park outside of the neighborhood in case household members cannot return home. Everyone should know the address of this location.
• Ask an out-of-province relative or friend to serve as the "family contact". After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

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Pets and Disaster

Make arrangements for your pets as part of your household disaster planning. If you must evacuate, it's best to take your pets with you. For health and space reasons, pets will not be allowed in public shelters. If as a last resort you have to leave your pets behind, prepare an emergency pen in the home that includes a three-day supply of dry food and a large container of water.

Educate Your Household

Post emergency telephone numbers (fire, police, ambulance) by the telephones.

Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency management number of help.

Make sure all household member know where a fire extinguisher is kept and how to use it.

Teach household members how to turn off utilities.

Be Prepared

Conduct a home hazard hunt.
Identify objects in the house that could be dangerous in an emergency.

Have disaster supplies on hand.

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Make an inventory of your home

Make a complete inventory of your home, garage, and surrounding property. The inventory can be either written or videotaped. Include information such a serial numbers, make and model numbers, physical descriptions, and price of purchase (receipts, if possible).

Make copies of important documents

Vital documents such as birth and marriage certificates, tax records, credit card numbers, financial records, wills and trusts can be lost during a disaster. Make two photocopies of these documents and keep the originals in a safe deposit box, keep one in a safe place in the house, and give the second copy to an out-of-province friend.

Take a first aid and CPR class

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Questions or comments? Contact: emergency.management@vancouver.ca or call 3-1-1 (within Vancouver) or 604.873.7000 (outside Vancouver).

Last modified: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
© 2009 City of Vancouver