An important part of personal security is creating a home emergency plan. This critical piece of planning allows you to think carefully through possible crisis scenarios that you may face at home and how you should respond. Then, you can also put in place practical methods of reducing the risk of those crises happening.
Starting a home emergency plan
Start with a list of potential disaster or emergency scenarios. Consider the following possibilities to get started:
- Weather related emergency – tornado, flood, earthquake, hurricane
- Grid related crisis – power outage, frozen pipes, lack of clean water
- Human related – house fire, burglary, health emergency at home – heart attack, stroke, etc
After you have made list of potential disasters, go through and consider how you can reduce either the likelihood of the crisis occurring or its impact. Here are some common items to think through:
- Ensure all electrical devices and appliances are in good condition
- Make sure all entry and exit points working correctly and smoothly (windows, doors, garage door, etc)
- Maintain a consistent supply of non-perishable pantry goods (don’t wait until the weather alert to go shopping like everyone else)
- Keep a backup supply of water and have a water storage and conservation plan
- Have a well stocked home first aid kit. You can build your own or purchase ready made kits online
- Put together a home escape plan and meeting points in the event that your home becomes unsafe
Make your home emergency plan effective
Once your home emergency plan is created, make sure it is communicated to everyone who lives with you. It is especially beneficial to get everyone involved in the actual planning – even the kids. This gives everyone a feeling of ownership and preparedness.
Next, be sure to review and practice your home emergency plan. Have a schedule for inspecting your first aid kit and pantry supply. Items that eventually expire won’t do you any good when the crisis happens. It is also helpful to keep your home emergency plan in a readily available place so that you can access it quickly when you need to.
Next Steps:
A helpful part of home emergency planning is completing a Perimeter Check
A helpful, free source for documenting and creating a home emergency plan is Ready.gov
For a deeper dive into home emergency preparedness, get the book The Disaster-Ready Home by Creek Stewart
