Creating a personal emergency plan for you and those close to you is very important, as it will help you to stay calm if an emergency were to take place. Your safety is very important and not being prepared can make emergencies harder to cope with.

Making Plans

Be organised and better able to cope in an emergency before it takes place. This increases the safety of both you and those close to you. Prepare yourself with a plan and include important information, such as:-

• The emergency arrangements for your children at school and at your workplace.
• Where and how to turn off electricity, water and gas supplies at your home.
• Contact details for your family or friends.
• Anyone near you who may need help especially if they are elderly or vulnerable.
• Details of television or radio news stations, to keep you updated.

Ready Bag

This is a useful bag that is packed with essentials in case you need to evacuate your home. Handy things to keep in your Ready Bag include:

• Important documents e.g. Passport, driving licence and important phone numbers
• Home and car keys
• Toiletries and personal first aid kit
• A wind-up or battery radio
• Spare batteries
• A torch with spare batteries
• Mobile phone
• Cash and Credit cards
• Spare clothes and blankets
• Bottled water and any easy food, e.g. tinned food or biscuits.

Remember to stay calm and follow the advice of the emergency services. If you are not involved in an incident but are close by or believe you may be in danger, the advice is:

GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN

Further Information