THE FAMILY PLAN
Here are some helpful ideas to get a family plan together and then go over the plan with the whole family. Under stress people forget what they have been told, but they will remember what they practiced. Families cope and work together well, when there is a plan in place and they are prepared. Don't forget to practice.
Show everyone the safest place in your home - tables, desks, interior walls. Show everyone what the danger spots are - windows, fireplaces, tall furniture, wall hangings, mirrors. Practice: conduct practice drills. Have everyone go to a "safe" place while avoiding the danger spots. Have family members who are able practice taking family members who are not able (young, elderly, special needs) through the same drills.
Make a list of emergency numbers. Make arrangements with neighbors and add them to the list. Post the list by every telephone, do every telephone you won't know which phone will be reachable after the quake. Tape the list to the handsets of cordless phones. Show everyone where the fire extinguishers are located. Take an extinguisher outside and have each family members use it. Make sure you re-charged the extinguisher after the drill. Show everyone where the emergency supplies are stored. Teach children how and when to call 911. Make pretend practices calls with the phone in hand, but disconnected from the line.
Choose a safe place and near your property to re-unite the family in case of separation. Choose a alternate in case the first place is not accessible. Practice getting everyone in the family to the reunification place.
Choose a contact person outside the area far enough that they are not affected by the earthquake. Use this person to relay messages between family members. Put their number on the emergency call list. Teach everyone who is able how to turn off gas, water, and electricity. Practice. Call the gas company for assistance before you turn the pilot lights back on.
Know the evacuation plans for your children's school or daycare. Know how you will re-unite with your if necessary. Make sure you have provisions for special needs family members, include medications, special foods, and extra equipment such as canes, walkers, wheelchairs. Discuss with everyone, children included, what it may be like if the earthquake happens. Go over what each person should do whether or not the whole family is together. Talk about how your family plan will succeed even if it takes a few days or weeks for things to start getting back to normal. Talk about how the best way to be ok in the quake is to learn and use the plan. You can be sure that your children have seen pictures of earthquake damage and talked about it. The best way to make them feel secure is to make them feel (and be) prepared.