Family emergency plan
The family emergency plan ideally should be written out but could take the form of a discussion to agree how your family will react.
If an emergency occurs dial 999
The emergency services with emergencies on a daily basis. During an emergency, follow instructions given to you by the emergency services. If you are not directly involved keep away from the scene to enable access to the emergency services.
In an emergency where do I find information?
Go in, stay in, tune in.
During major emergencies the public may be given advice via the radio and television. It is recommended you tune into your local radio station:
- BBC Radio WM (95.6FM)
- BRMB (96.4FM)
- Beacon (97.2FM)
- Heart FM (100.7FM)
Why do I need an emergency box?
An emergency box holds vital information and items that might be useful in an emergency. The box should be small enough to carry and be stored in a safe and secure place that everyone in your family can find. Details of what should be in the box are in the next section.
How will the family contact each other?
History has shown that, during an emergency, the telephone system may be overloaded particularly mobile phone networks. Calls should be kept short, as the emergency services need the lines for communication. A pre-arranged meeting point may be beneficial. The meeting point may need to be away from home where access may have been restricted. Is there a friend or relative’s you could use as a meeting place?
What might happen if you are evacuated?
If an emergency requires you to leave your home, and it safe to do so, turn off your gas, electricity and water, and take your emergency box. The local authority may provide shelter on a temporary basis in the form of an emergency rest centre.
On arrival at the centre you will be asked to register. This will involve giving some information such as your name and contact details. It will help staff at the rest centre cater for your needs and members of your family find each other. It may take a while to get the information required from a large group of people but it is very important to get everyone registered.
The accommodation is likely to be in a public building and while every effort will have been made to ensure the accommodation is comfortable, it will be communal and may be crowded. You should consider:
- What relatives/friends you have that could accommodate you
- Whether your home insurance covers temporary accommodation
How will pets be looked after in an emergency?
For many of us our pet is an important member of our household. In an emergency it is useful to have thought through what your pet will need.