Families use Emergency Plans to outline their actions in response to an emergency or natural disaster. With an established plan, each member of a household knows what to do, where to go, and who to contact in an emergency.

The key features of LawDepot’s Emergency Plan include:

• Household contact information
• Family member health information
• Important contacts
• Evacuation and shelter-at-home plans
• Home preparation
• Emergency items checklists

An Emergency Plan is also known as a/an:

• Disaster preparedness plan
• Home evacuation plan
• Emergency response plan

Planning for potential risks and hazards speeds up your reaction time when a disaster hits. Creating an Emergency Plan also ensures that you have the necessities to get through a tough situation.

The region in which you live may be at higher risk of certain disasters or hazards than others. For example, Australia’s dry and hot climate makes it prone to bushfires and extreme heatwaves. Coastal homes are at risk of cyclones and shipwrecks hitting in the area. So, assess the potential threats in your area and plan accordingly.

It’s also important to think about any physical limitations that members of your family may have. Health conditions can affect your family’s ability to evacuate and take shelter. So, it helps to have a safety plan that works for everyone.

LawDepot’s template prompts you to include all of the key components of an emergency preparedness plan. Simply answer our questionnaire to add personalised details about your family members, house, and community. We’ll also guide you through the creation of different emergency responses such as evacuating, sheltering at home, and preparing your house systems.

Take the following steps to fill out the questionnaire and complete your custom Emergency Plan:

• Gather important contacts’ phone numbers
• Have relevant insurance policies handy (e.g., house or tenant insurance)
• Sketch out your home’s floorplan (this is optional)
• Research and decide on safe locations for your family to gather after an evacuation

In addition to your Emergency Plan, it’s also important to prepare essential items and documents (such as a first aid kit, an emergency items kit, and photocopies of IDs, insurance policies, etc.). Our template includes checklists to help you through these extra preparation tasks.

An effective evacuation plan includes planned emergency exits and designated safe spaces.

LawDepot’s Emergency Plan template prompts you to prepare a home escape route and attach it to your plan. Sketch the layout of your home (by hand or on the computer) and plan at least one or two exit options for every room in your house. Customise an escape route for various evacuation scenarios, such as blocked exits, heavy smoke, or fire in the house. If needed, prepare for exiting through windows with ladders or ropes.

Practice your evacuation plan with your family at least once every six months to a year. You may not have time to refer to your maps during an emergency, so it’s critical to learn and rehearse your escape routes ahead of time.

Our questionnaire will also prompt you to list two locations for meeting up with family members after an evacuation:

• Outside your home: Choose a safe location that is outside your home but not directly beside it, such as the end of your driveway. You could also include city-designated storm shelter sites (such as community centres or churches) that are within walking distance. However, if you identify two safe spots outside your home, be sure your family knows which meeting place is appropriate for which type of emergency.
• Outside your city: Choose an out-of-town location to meet during a city evacuation. Refer to your municipality’s evacuation plans to confirm what safety measures are in place during certain emergencies (roadblocks, for instance, may hinder you and your family from reaching a planned muster point). If needed, include instructions for different modes of transportation (like if you don’t have a car or run out of gas).

Severe weather, industrial accidents, or public health emergencies may call for people to shelter in place (i.e., stay indoors) until the danger recedes.

Again, it’s important to assess the potential risks to your specific community and plan accordingly. LawDepot’s Emergency Plan template prompts you to consider a safe indoor location, but where you go inside your house to wait out the danger will vary depending on the circumstances.

For instance, if there is a tornado or earthquake, go to your basement or seek shelter under a table. In your plan, add instructions for closing doors and windows to cut off ventilation if there is a nuclear or chemical accident. Learn how to insulate and heat your home safely in case of a winter power outage.

Our questionnaire will also guide you through an evaluation of your home’s mechanical systems. Knowing where valves and panels are, how to access them, and when to turn them on or off is important during emergencies. Generally, hazard proofing and keeping your house systems in good repair helps avoid further problems later.

It’s important to involve the whole family in preparing for disasters. Conduct rehearsals for different evacuation scenarios, such as how to escape the house during a fire. Also, assign family members specific duties, such as gathering pets, performing first aid, or purifying water.

Be sure to review your plan and maintain your emergency kits regularly, at least every six months to a year.

You can also hazard-proof your home for environmental risks in your area. For instance, remove chemical products and irreplaceable belongings from the basement in case of a flood. If you’re in a place that’s prone to earthquakes or tornados, be sure to secure any objects that could fall and cause damage or injury. Check your roof, chimney, and drainage regularly. Keeping your house in good repair generally helps prevent further problems later.

LawDepot’s Emergency Plan template will prompt you to consider the mechanical systems in your home. You should know the locations of important systems, such as electrical panels and heating systems, and how to turn them off when necessary.