4 Maidstone Borough Council
What you should do in an emergency
No one thinks it will happen to them – until it does!
No matter how careful you are, there are some things you can’t control. And any one of them could hit you and your family hard, damage your home severely, or seriously harm your business.
Yet it’s not hard to make sure that you’re properly
prepared for an emergency. Thinking about what you’d need to do in an emergency will mean that you’re ready should they ever happen. Emergencies can include floods, fire, extreme weather, infectious diseases, security incidents or loss of power and water.
You can find lots more information in the “What Should I Do in an Emergency?” handbook, which you can pick up from Maidstone Gateway or download from our website by searching for “Emergency Planning”.
Make a Household Emergency Plan
To compose your plan, work with your family to ask yourself some key questions, and record the answers. These could include:
z Where will we meet if we can’t get into, or stay in, our home?
Tips and hints for all emergencies z Keep calm. Reassure others. Think before acting. z Help yourself before helping others. z Check for injuries. z If people are injured or in danger: z Dial 999, report the situation, follow the advice you’re given. z Stay informed via local radio and TV.
z If you’re not directly involved but think you could be at risk, remove yourself and others from danger.
z GO IN to a building not threatened by the emergency. z STAY IN until you’re advised to do otherwise. z TUNE IN to local TV or radio for more information.
z Who’ll collect the children from school if we can’t get there?
z Who can be an ‘Emergency Friend’, ready to collect supplies if we can’t get out, or feed pets if we can’t get back to the house?
z Which neighbours should we check on?
z How do we turn off the gas, water and electricity?
z Who can we stay with if we’re evacuated?
z What items would we not want to lose and how can we protect them? E.g. documents, photographs, a favourite toy.
Remember: No item of property is worth risking your life for.
Emergency Grab Bag
In an emergency, you may need to move quickly, so it’s important to have necessities to hand. If you can’t make up a bag ready, it’s at least worth having a list of things you’d need to pack quickly. The bag could include:
• Warm clothes
• Torch (check batteries), radio (wind up or battery powered) and spare batteries
• Food and water
• Supplies for babies and small children
• Toiletries • Mobile phone and charger
• Contact list • Prescription
medicines/details of any medicines you take
• Identity documents, insurance details
• First aid kit
• Remember, this bag should be waterproof!
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56