The family's collection area
If you need to evacuate your home:
In the event of an evacuation, it is important that everyone in the household has decided on a meeting point where you can gather if you get separated.
- A place outside the house (car park, by the postbox or somewhere else)
- A place outside the neighbourhood
- A place where you can stay overnight
One of the biggest causes of stress in an emergency is being separated from our loved ones. It is therefore important to have pre-arranged places where you can meet. For example, family members might be in different places, at work or school, when an emergency occurs.
Are your insurances in order?
Please note that it is best to get advice from an insurance agent regarding damage from natural disasters.
- Life and critical illness insurance
- Car insurance
- Home insurance
- Income protection insurance
It is important to have all your insurance in order and to ask yourself these 3 important questions:
Do you need to add anything to ensure your and your family's financial security if you suffer a loss?
Do I have cash ready if the banking system collapses?
Do I have an emergency fund?
Keep all important documents in a safe place
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Prescriptions
It is important to make sure that important documents are kept in a safe place. Fortunately, many of these documents are in electronic form, but it is good to keep this in mind, for example, if the power goes out for an extended period.
Do you own a pet?
Those with pets also need to think about their animals. You need to consider food and other things the animals require.
People who have had to evacuate their homes have put themselves in danger by returning home to rescue their animals.
If you need to stay at a mass care centre, it is important to have a cage for your animals.
Young children
If there are small children or infants in the household, it is essential to consider their needs. Keep this in mind when you pack your emergency kit.
If you need to evacuate your home:
Mass care centres are not always equipped with necessities such as nappies, formula, and other items.
If your child has a food allergy, it is essential to consider this. Mass care centres may not have everything needed if your child is on a special diet.
Remember to grab the children's favourite toys in the event of an evacuation.
Items that are valuable and have sentimental value
If you need to evacuate your home:
Most of us own items that are valuable to us, either financially or sentimentally. Consider keeping these items accessible and easy to take with you in the event of an evacuation.
It's a good idea to make a list of these items, because in the chaos that can ensue, there's a risk that something will be forgotten. The family could go over this together so that each person can be responsible for their own things.
It is a good idea to have a box ready to put valuables in should an evacuation be necessary.