No one likes to think about an emergency occurring in your precious home, to your priceless family. Unfortunately, emergencies DO happen. Thankfully not often, but it’s always best to be prepared.
When an emergency occurs you definitely will not have the time or presence of mind to calmly choose the best option for a safe retreat.
Taking some time now, in a time of peace and safety, to create an emergency exit plan will help ensure the future safety and at very least – peace of mind.
Why an Emergency Exit Plan?
Many families think they’ll be able to quickly exit the front door or garage in the event of an emergency, but many emergencies would create circumstances in which your main floor is inaccessible.
For example, fire or flood could prevent you from leaving through the front of your door. Fire or water throughout your main floor can be dangerous, so an exit plan that can help everyone, no matter their age or accessibility level to leave the home in any type of emergency.
Your Emergency Exit Plan
A smart plan is to assess your home. How many windows and doors do you have? Do they lock? If you needed to exit these doors or windows rapidly would you need stools or ladders? What is below the windows? It’s time to start thinking outside the box of leaving through your front or back doors and driving away in your car.
It’s a good idea to have an emergency exit on each floor of your home, which can be utilized by every member of your family. This may mean a rope ladder somewhere on your upper floors, and a small stool to help you exit through a basement window well.
Prepare Your Exit Plan
It’s not enough to just have a plan – it’s important that everyone understands the plan and could execute it in an emergency. Walkthrough the plan with your family and explain why you need one. Practice the emergency exit plan so that your kids could exit themselves if they were home alone. Find some way to create an alert system for your family to communicate during times of crisis.
The last step of your emergency preparation is to be sure you have a strong insurance plan that will protect you. Choose a plan that covers all of the major threats you might incur in the geographic location of your home.
Be well aware of what your plan covers and any additional packages that you may need for supplemental coverage. At Bear River Insurance we’re ready to help prepare your family for emergencies and keep you protected and safe.
