| Many families do not think about what they would | | | | fire personnel begin visiting schools to teach |
| do during a home emergency until a devastating | | | | children as young as kindergarten how to practice |
| event happens to someone we know and love. | | | | safety. Older children are often asked to speak |
| Unfortunately this is not the best way to learn | | | | with their parents and draw out a detailed |
| what not to do. While it is easy to learn from | | | | emergency evacuation plan in case of fire of |
| others' mistakes, why take the chance that it is | | | | other incident. It is so important to sit down as a |
| your mistake others will learn from? Be prepared | | | | family and come up with an evacuation plan, with |
| for a fire, flood or other natural disaster which | | | | escape routes and alternate exits. If children's |
| may turn a regular day into a nightmare. Walk | | | | bedrooms are located on the second story, the |
| away alive and you will see just how important | | | | children should be taught how to open the |
| taking the time to plan really is. | | | | windows and remove the screens. A safety rope |
| Valuables and Important Documents | | | | ladder is important to keep in each upstairs |
| It's most important to have a plan for | | | | bedroom, in the case the window is the only |
| irreplaceable valuables and important documents. | | | | available exit route. |
| Items such as family heirlooms, expensive | | | | Who to Call and Where to Meet |
| jewelry, birth and death certificates and family | | | | A part of every emergency plan should include |
| memorabilia should have a special place in the | | | | notes on who to call once the emergency |
| home. If you keep these items near each other in | | | | situation has been identified. For instance, should |
| a specific location, it will be easier to locate and | | | | children take the time to call 911 if there is a fire? |
| evacuate them in case of an emergency that | | | | These are things that should be discussed ahead |
| leaves you time to gather belongings. Remember | | | | of time so that children do not get confused in |
| that no life is worth any material thing, and your | | | | the event of an evacuation. It is often safer to |
| life should never be risked to re-enter a | | | | leave the home and make phone calls from a |
| dangerous home in search of such belongings. | | | | neighbor's home, though children may not think of |
| Though some things can never be replaced, | | | | that. It is also important to choose a place off the |
| nothing is worth the loss of life, even if it means | | | | property for each family member to meet. This |
| having to leave animal friends behind. | | | | way each family member can leave the home on |
| Escape Route and Exits | | | | their own, feeling secure and sure of where to |
| Emergency planning is so important that police and | | | | find the others. |