Safe-House

You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it's all right.
~Maya Angelou

Yesterday I mentioned storing food and water at your "safe-house". What is that?

A good Family Evacuation Plan will cover three levels of events:
1. Fleeing the House. Where will your family gather nearby if forced to flee a house fire?
2. Fleeing the Neighborhood. Where will your family go if flooding or wildfires force a neighborhood evacuation?
3. Fleeing the Region. Where will you go to escape a class 5 hurricane?

No one wants to evacuate. It's the last choice and usually only done when mandated by civil authorities. Hurricanes can result in neighbor evacuation from flood zones or regional evacuation for "the big one"

Be prepared by planning TODAY where for a "safe house" for each event above.

1. Identify a friendly neighbor's house where all kids should go during a house fire.

2. Find a friend who lives above your flood zone but not too far away. Walking distance is best although it may be a long walk of a few hours.

3. Find another friend who lives several hundred miles away that will take in your family during a regional evacuation.

Don't rely on a motel or public shelter. You may be competing with millions of others for a bed. It's better to find a private place that will shelter your family and pets.

Bottom Line

Once you've identified your safe-home locations, ask your hosts if they will store a kit for your family in their basement or attic. Consider the items listed from the past two days in this blog. A change of clothes, important family papers, cash (if you really trust the host). Help your hosts to create a cache of food and water for all to share.