Evacuation 101: What to Know When It’s Time to Go
Most of us hope we will never have to evacuate our homes. Preparing for
evacuations can help you stay safe if or when you need to evacuate. But
there’s nothing more important than protecting your family during an
emergency evacuation. They will always be your top priority.
Ready to prepare for an evacuation? Here’s everything you need to know when it’s time to go.
![]() |
Emergency Food |
Packing Light Is Packing Right
It might be tempting to grab sentimental or valuable items. Remember
that your safety is the most important thing. Packing a go-bag ahead of
time will keep you from over- or under-packing. Your go-bag should be
easy to carry. These bags should have important documents and personal
items in them. You should also keep nonperishable emergency food and drinking water in a go-bag.
With all your essentials ready to go, you can move fast when you’re
told to evacuate. If time allows, you can use any spare seconds turning
off your utilities. Keep your vehicles’ gas tanks filled. But if you’re
leaving a car behind, make sure it isn’t blocking roadways. These small
actions can help first responders. Packing ahead of time can help you
focus on these important details during an emergency.
Practice Your Plan
Think of your emergency plan like the script of a movie. Actors don’t
bring their scripts on screen with them when it’s time to perform.
Similarly, in a real evacuation, you won’t want to have to review your
emergency plan. You’ll want to know it by heart. Periodically conducting
an evacuation drill can make sure your household is prepared. You can
even time your evacuation drill so you know how long it takes you to
leave the house.
Practicing your plan will also help you find any weak spots before
it’s time to go. Do you store your extra water in heavy jugs in the
basement? This might be fine for a tornado warning, but what if you’re
evacuating on short notice? Switching out your heavy water jugs for
easy-to-carry water bricks is a great solution. Going over the details of your emergency plan helps you make strategic changes to save time.
Tune in to the Right Stations
Wildfires can move quickly. Earthquakes can cause road closures.
Traffic can cause delays. Listening to local emergency radio stations
ensures you take the best evacuation route. It’s important to listen to
local news to avoid danger or road closures.
A hand-crank radio
is great for emergencies. These radios operate without power. Be sure to
write down local radio stations ahead of time. A portable solar generator
can also help you tune in to local news. A palm-sized portable charger
can keep your phone fully charged. You may lose cell signal during an
evacuation. Still, you’ll want your essential devices to be charged when
you regain service. This will allow you to contact friends and extended
family to plan your next steps.
About 4Patriots
Do
you have an emergency plan? Is your go-bag up to date? Are your
survival food kits stored properly? Are you ready for power outages?
4Patriots can help you answer these important questions. This
family-owned preparedness company even offers online classes. That means
more opportunities to build crucial survival skills. Gear from
4Patriots keeps you ready for anything. Plus, all the knowledge you gain
can help you think fast under pressure. Boost your independence with
the right gear and skills. Use your 4Patriots gear to upgrade your
go-bag and supplies. Take a 4Patriots class that helps you create a
reliable emergency plan. When you answer the big questions, you’ll feel
prepared and enjoy peace of mind.
Learn more about how to prepare for the unexpected at https://4patriots.com/