Emergency,
Survival,
Camping
And
Preparedness
Equipment
How to Plan an Escape
Things to consider when planning an escape from your room, your home, your neighborhood or your community.
<- Back to the "Tips and Ideas" page
Even if you'd prefer to stay in your home during an emergency, it may not always be possible. Here are some things to remember when planning your escape route...
1. You should plan on at least two escape routes to your chosen destination. If one is blocked or otherwise unusable, you'll need an alternate. This means two escape routes from each room of your home and two routes to each possible destination.
2. You should have at least two possible destinations for a given scenario. If you find it impossible to reach one, or if it's in bad shape when you get there, you have something to fall back on. I would actually recommend having at least six possible destinations. I would have two destinations very close to home, within 1,000 feet or so ( for use in case of a fire in your home, tree limb coming through the roof, etc); two mid-distance destinations that are 3 to 10 miles away from, and preferably in opposite directions from, your home ( to flee from localized destruction such as a tornado, terrorist threat or localized flooding); and two long-distance destinations (at least 200 miles away, for threats on a wide scale).
3. Be sure that everyone in your family is familiar with planned escape routes and destinations. Make sure that they know where you will meet up if disaster strikes while you're separated (the kids are at school or the neighbor's, you're at work, etc.). Have a protocol for when each destination will be used ("if the house catches fire, we will meet at the end of the driveway, and our alternate meeting place is Mary's house; if we are all in different places when a tornado hits, we will meet at the grocery store, and our alternate is Joe's Grill; if the nuclear reactor down the road begins to meltdown, we will meet in Marysville at the truck stop, and our alternate is the K-Mart in Joplin"). Each person should have the name, address and phone number of at least one out-of-town (preferably out-of-state) friend or relative that all can contact as an emergency location coordinator. PRACTICE this with your family. A plan is no good at all if only a few know what to do.
4. Be sure that you can get to your destination. If you're relying on a vehicle, be prepared by keeping a full tank of fuel at all times, by having basic emergency supplies already packed in the vehicle, and by having a good, detailed map of the entire escape route(s). Remember that main roads may be jammed with traffic and impassible, so be sure to study the back roads and possible detours. A compass and the knowledge of how to use it will be invaluable. Be prepared for the fact that you may have to abandon your vehicle and proceed on foot.
5. Have some idea of what you'll do when you get to your destination. If you'll be bunking with friends or relatives, find out in advance what contributions you can make to help them out. If you'll be camped out somewhere, be prepared for the terrain and weather you might encounter. Be aware that Red Cross or government-sponsored shelters may have very stringent rules on what you can and cannot bring, and may be full by the time you arrive.
6. I have heard many people say that they plan to "head for the hills" if something bad happens. STOP and think this through! All land in this country belongs to someone, and you could be run off the land (or worse yet, shot as a trespasser). Most folks are not good enough hunter/gatherers to consistently feed themselves, let alone their families... and with thousands of other people hiding out in those hills, food would soon become very scarce. If you want to escape to a rural area, do your homework NOW by contacting landowners in the area you've chosen, and ask if you might rent an acre or two for a nominal yearly sum. Some landowner may be very happy to let you help pay his taxes, in exchange for the right to store some supplies, and actually live on this land in case of disaster.
7. Plan now for any special needs that you or someone in your family may have. Pets are usually never allowed in shelters, so plan now on just what you will do with them (and please, don't abandon them, they will NOT survive without care). If you have livestock, you should try to make arrangements now for transporting, feeding, and sheltering them. You may have special medical needs in your family such as hearing aids, prescription medications or diets, wheelchair, respirator, walker, etc. Talk now with your physician about getting an emergency supply of needed prescriptions, and about alternate forms of care and assistance that might be available.
8. Keep photos of your loved ones (including pets) on hand. This could help greatly if someone is lost and unaccounted for. Keep important documents, and irreplaceable photos and mementos, ready to grab and run with. Consider storing digital copies, negatives, etc., with a friend or family member across country in case something terrible happens in your neighborhood.