Personal Emergency Plan

Your personal or family emergency plan should include:

1. Know your community
2. Family meeting place
3. Out of area contact
4. Knowledge of what to do during and after a disaster
5. Plan for persons with special needs
6. Practice being safe
7. Family and individual information forms

1. Know your community
The City of Richmond has identified the following as potential risks that could affect you in Richmond. Of course, not all risks can be predicted:

• Active threat
• Air crash
• Earthquake
• Flooding
• Hazardous material spills
• Medical emergencies
• Severe weather

The risks could present potential hazards in your neighbourhood. Become familiar with the City's Plans including the locations of potential Receptions Centres and what services are offered there and the Disaster Response Routes network. Consider your context and how your family may be exposed to these hazards.

Ask your employer and school what their plans are for a disaster. Knowing what preventive measures are in place at work and at school will help you prepare for a potential emergency while in at one of these locations.

2. Family meeting place
There is a good chance that you will not be with your loved ones when an emergency occurs. To prepare for these separations, identify a neighbourhood reunion site.

• The 1st meeting place should be a location right outside the home. The site where household members would meet in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.
• The 2nd meeting place should be a building or open area outside of the neighbourhood in case family household members cannot return home. Take into consideration the location of schools, daycares and workplaces.

3. Out of area contact
During an emergency, local telephone networks can become overloaded. Making a long distance telephone call is often easier than a local call.

• To reconnect with your family following the incident, choose an out of area contact who lives at least 160 km away, who has voice-mail or answering machine as your out-of-area contact.
• Make sure all family members know the telephone number and how to use it.
• Complete a contact card and have it with you and your family at all times.
• Immediately following the disaster stay off the phone, leaving it clear for life-threatening emergencies.  
• Once the immediate emergency is over, call or text your out of area contact and tell  them how you are and where you plan to be.

4. Know what to do during and after a disaster
Ensure everyone in the family knows how to protect themselves during an earthquake, flood and other disasters. Know how to turn off the utilities and deal with other hazards. To learn more see the During an Emergency and After an Emergency sections.

5. Plan for special needs
Don't forget to plan for the special needs of those with disabilities, senior citizens and your pets.

6. Practice being safe
Review your family emergency plan twice a year. Include it as part of your routine when you change your clocks, check your batteries and fire alarms. Practice earthquake and fire drills at home. Go to different rooms in the home. Yell "earthquake" and see how quickly everyone can find a safe place.

7. Family and individual information forms
When disaster strikes, you may need to access important contact numbers, health information and household documents. Keep copies in two secure locations. A safety deposit box, a fireproof safe or watertight bags in the freezer work very well. See Section 3 of the  All Hazard Workbook for the Important Family and Individual Information forms.