Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have the police driving down your street telling you that you have to evacuate your home within five minutes?  If you only have a few minutes to think about what you need to take with you, how will you know you have the essentials you need?

Of course, the obvious answer is to have prepared for evacuation ahead of time.  According to information from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in A Citizen’s Guide to Disaster Assistance, if you are told to evacuate, you may want to take the following steps:

  • Listen carefully to instructions given by local officials. Evacuate immediately if told to do so.
  • If you have time, grab your portable disaster (3 day) kit. Make sure that you include any last-minute items, such as prescription medication, that you may need.
  • Wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes.
  • Lock your home.
  • Use travel routes outlined by local officials. Do not take short cuts; they may be unsafe.
  • Keep fuel in your car if evacuation seems likely. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies.

Be prepared to leave your home if:

  • Your area is without electrical power or water for an extended period of time.
  • There is a chemical emergency affecting your area.
  • Floor water is rising.
  • A wild land fire is burning near your home.
  • Your home has been severely damaged.
  • Local officials tell you to evacuate.

Evacuations are more common than many people realize.  Hundreds of times each year, transportation and industrial accidents release harmful substances, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.  Fires and floods cause evacuations even more frequently.