by:Brian CrisanEmergencies can happen at any time, in any place, and to any person. Creating a basic plan for all types of hazards that could affect your home can save your life.
Introduction
Emergencies can happen at any time, in any place, and to any person. Although homes are supposed to be safe havens for families, any number of hazards could threaten the safety of the people living inside. Such hazards could be natural (i.e. thunderstorms), technological (i.e. fire), or human-caused (i.e. burglary).Creating a basic plan for all types of hazards that could affect your home can save your life. This lens will use the basic principles of emergency management to help you create an emergency plan for your home.
Understanding the phases of emergency management
The field of emergency management identifies four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These phases each refer to activities that are performed at different points of time to address emergencies before, during, and after they occur.Mitigation activities aim to reduce the impact of emergencies. Preparedness activities aim to increase response capabilities before an incident. Response activities aim to save lives and properties as the emergency occurs. Recovery activities aim to return a community to normal conditions after an emergency.A strong emergency plan for your home should address your family actions for each phase listed above. In the same way that government entities and businesses can plan for each phase, families can also create their own plan and use it to approach hazards in a broad manner.
Risk assessment for the home
Before you can reduce the impact of hazards in your home, you have to determine what hazards threaten it. Make a list of potential hazards that could affect your home. Make sure this list is comprehensive. Use local resources to assist you in making your list as complete as possible.Hazards that should be mandatory in every household emergency plan include, but are not limited to, the following: fires, thunderstorms, flooding, medical emergencies, criminal activity (i.e. burglary), extreme temperature changes, carbon monoxide posioning, motor vehicle accidents, and power outages.Your plan should include sections on what the family should do to evacuate from the home, shelter-in-place for long periods of time, and lockdown access to the home. It should also determine what priority you will give to planning for the hazards identified. The priority you give to various hazards should be based upon how likely it is the hazard will affect the home and how severe the effects would be if the hazard strikes.
Mitigation activities and risk reduction
As explained above, mitigation activities reduce the impact of hazards or eliminate them altogether. Below are some potential hazards and mitigation efforts that may reduce the impact of those hazards in your home.For example, mitigation activities for fire hazards might include the following: having your chimney and fireplaces inspected and cleaned, covering the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester, and installing smoke alarms on every level of your home. [1]
Activities focused on reducing or eliminating the risk of criminal activity are increasingly being referred to as prevention activities (instead of mitigation). Examples of prevention activities that reduce the risk becoming a crime victim include: installing alarm systems, locking doors and windows when gone, and installing deadbolt locks. [2]
Emergencies can happen at any time, in any place, and to any person. Although homes are supposed to be safe havens for families, any number of hazards could threaten the safety of the people living inside. Such hazards could be natural (i.e. thunderstorms), technological (i.e. fire), or human-caused (i.e. burglary).Creating a basic plan for all types of hazards that could affect your home can save your life. This lens will use the basic principles of emergency management to help you create an emergency plan for your home.
Understanding the phases of emergency management
The field of emergency management identifies four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These phases each refer to activities that are performed at different points of time to address emergencies before, during, and after they occur.Mitigation activities aim to reduce the impact of emergencies. Preparedness activities aim to increase response capabilities before an incident. Response activities aim to save lives and properties as the emergency occurs. Recovery activities aim to return a community to normal conditions after an emergency.A strong emergency plan for your home should address your family actions for each phase listed above. In the same way that government entities and businesses can plan for each phase, families can also create their own plan and use it to approach hazards in a broad manner.
Risk assessment for the home
Before you can reduce the impact of hazards in your home, you have to determine what hazards threaten it. Make a list of potential hazards that could affect your home. Make sure this list is comprehensive. Use local resources to assist you in making your list as complete as possible.Hazards that should be mandatory in every household emergency plan include, but are not limited to, the following: fires, thunderstorms, flooding, medical emergencies, criminal activity (i.e. burglary), extreme temperature changes, carbon monoxide posioning, motor vehicle accidents, and power outages.Your plan should include sections on what the family should do to evacuate from the home, shelter-in-place for long periods of time, and lockdown access to the home. It should also determine what priority you will give to planning for the hazards identified. The priority you give to various hazards should be based upon how likely it is the hazard will affect the home and how severe the effects would be if the hazard strikes.
Mitigation activities and risk reduction
As explained above, mitigation activities reduce the impact of hazards or eliminate them altogether. Below are some potential hazards and mitigation efforts that may reduce the impact of those hazards in your home.For example, mitigation activities for fire hazards might include the following: having your chimney and fireplaces inspected and cleaned, covering the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester, and installing smoke alarms on every level of your home. [1]
Activities focused on reducing or eliminating the risk of criminal activity are increasingly being referred to as prevention activities (instead of mitigation). Examples of prevention activities that reduce the risk becoming a crime victim include: installing alarm systems, locking doors and windows when gone, and installing deadbolt locks. [2]
Preparedness planning for the home
Preparedness is focused on aquiring the necessary supplies and skills to effectively deal with hazardous events as they occur. Activities in this phase include, but are not limited to: developing family communication plans, determining escape routes, CPR/AED and fire extinguisher training, and the assembly of a disaster supply kit.Multiple factors should be considered when assembling a disaster supply kit. You may need your kit for different purposes; for basic survival over long periods of time or for when quick evacuation is a necessity. Several of these kits should be made; make a kit for your home, your place of employment, and your vehicle. The disaster supply kit should include, but is not limited to, the following items: 3-day supply of food and water, a portable & battery powered radio or TV, flashlight, a first aid kit and manual, and extra clothing. [3]
Responding to home emergenciesOf all the phases listed above, this phase is the most critical. It's during this phase that the incident occurs, causing confusion and chaos. The mitigation activities you implemented prior to this phase will hopefully reduce the impact of the hazard that comes to pass during. The preparedness activities you engaged in by securing supplies and receiving training should better equip you to handle the incident as it occurs.If life-threatening conditions exist, take all necessary precautions to preserve your life and the lives of those living with you. For example, if your house catches on fire, this phase is the one in which you and everyone else would quickly evacuate. If the hazard is human-caused (i.e. a burglar points a gun in your direction to shoot you), you would initiate actions to save your life as determined by your family's emergency plan.Once you are safe and away from the hazard, call for the help of police officers, firefighters, or emergency medical services by dialing 9-1-1(Iran:125 or 115). Describe, to the dispatcher, the location of the call, the nature of the call (i.e. house fire), a call-back phone number, and a name. The dispatcher may have additional questions for you, if you're still on line. Answer them as completely and accurately as possible.
References
United States Fire Administration. (2007, November 6). Fire Place and Home Fire Safety. Retrieved June 25, 2008 from http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/
National Crime Prevention Council. (n.d.). Home Security: Invest In It Now. Retrieved June 25, 2008 from http://www.ncpc.org/publications/brochures/home-safety/Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2008, May 30). Are You Ready? Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit. Retrieved June 28, 2008 from http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm.
United States Fire Administration. (2007, November 6). Fire Place and Home Fire Safety. Retrieved June 25, 2008 from http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/
National Crime Prevention Council. (n.d.). Home Security: Invest In It Now. Retrieved June 25, 2008 from http://www.ncpc.org/publications/brochures/home-safety/Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2008, May 30). Are You Ready? Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit. Retrieved June 28, 2008 from http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm.
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