Practice Evacuation Runs
It doesn’t matter how prepared you are when it comes to an evacuation order. The adrenaline starts running, and common sense really does go out of the window. People see the list, but they don’t always know what to
do.
This is where practice runs are important. You want to get a practice run of everything in the house, and you’ll want a practice run of where you’re going and the route you will take to get out.
Talk to Local Firehouses About Practice Runs
Some fire departments understand the importance of practice runs. They can set up test evacuation calls for the entire district, making sure that everyone in the area knows what the firefighters will do and the best way to get out.
This helps to take the stress off the firefighters. However, getting a whole neighborhood to do this can be tricky. The firehouses may not have the capacity, either.
Run Through the Scenarios in Your House
You can run drills in your own house, though. Think about when you were in school and you had the fire alarm drills. Everyone knew where they would need to go and the exit they would need to take. When there was an emergency, it was much less stressful to get out.
You don’t want to let the family know that you’re running a drill all the time. At first, you want to make it clear that it’s a practice run. This takes away the stress as people are learning what they’re supposed to do in an emergency.
As everyone starts to get used to the situation, you can then start to do surprise drills. This gets the adrenaline up for them, so they and you know how everyone reacts in a panic.
Practice Runs for Alternative Scenarios
You’re not all going to be together when there is an emergency. A parent may be at work, or a child may be at a friend’s house. What happens then?
With some hope, other parents are also ready. They will also look after your child in an emergency until you can get to them. What if the other parents aren’t home, though? You need to have a drill for when children are out so they know what to do in the event of an evacuation.
You’ll also need to think about alternate routes out of town. Don’t rely on the main one that you always take. This is the one that a lot of people will end up taking. Know the backroads and other routes out. The more you plan, the easier it will be to get out when the emergency is called.