🚨 How to Create an Emergency Evacuation Plan for Your Home 🏡
When an emergency strikes — whether it’s a fire 🔥, flood 🌊, or severe storm 🌪️ — every second counts. Having a solid emergency evacuation plan can save lives and reduce panic when it matters most.
Here’s how to create one for your household in a few easy steps:
1️⃣ Know the Risks in Your Area
Understand local threats:
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🔥 Fires (especially bushfires in rural areas)
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🌊 Flooding (common in low-lying or coastal zones)
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🌪️ Storms and cyclones
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🚨 Other risks like gas leaks or blackouts
🗺️ Check your local council or emergency services website to get informed.
2️⃣ Draw a Floor Plan of Your Home 🏠
Include important details like:
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🚪 All exits (doors, windows, stairways)
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🔥 Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers
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🔋 Power and gas shut-off points
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👨👩👧👦 Bedroom locations
📌 Keep the plan in a visible spot like the fridge.
3️⃣ Plan Two Ways Out 🚶♀️🚪
For each room:
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✅ Choose a primary exit (usually a door)
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🔁 Have a secondary exit (like a window or another door)
🪜 Practice using emergency ladders if you're in a multi-storey home.
4️⃣ Choose a Safe Meeting Spot 📍
Select a clear, outdoor location such as:
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📫 The letterbox
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🏡 A neighbor’s yard
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🚗 A designated car or street spot
Make sure everyone knows where it is.
5️⃣ Assign Responsibilities 📝
In an emergency, who will:
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👶 Assist young children or elderly members
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🐾 Handle pets
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📱 Call emergency services (000 in Australia)
Clear roles = faster, safer evacuation.
6️⃣ Pack an Emergency Kit 🎒
Include essentials like:
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🧼 First aid supplies
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📄 Important documents (copies)
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💊 Medications
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🥫 Non-perishable food and water
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🔦 Torch and spare batteries
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📱 A power bank for your phone
🎒 Keep it somewhere easy to grab on your way out.
7️⃣ Practice Your Plan! 🧑🚒
Run a drill every 6 months:
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Use both exit routes
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Reach the meeting point
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⏱️ Time how long it takes
Practice = confidence in a crisis.
8️⃣ Keep It Updated 🗂️
Update your plan if:
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🏗️ You renovate or add a room
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👨👩👧 Your household changes
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🐶 You get new pets or appliances
A current plan is a useful plan.