If you have to leave home
Sometimes the safest thing is to leave: a flood, a fire, or a gas leak nearby. A little planning makes a rushed departure smoother.
A grab-bag
Keep a bag ready near the door with the basics: water, snacks, a torch, a phone charger or power bank, any medicines, copies of key documents, a little cash, and warm layers. Anything in a grab-bag or car kit is what you’ll actually have with you.
Plan the leaving
- Agree where you’d go and how you’d get there.
- Set a meeting point in case you’re separated and can’t call.
- Think about anyone who’d need help to leave: children, elderly or less mobile people, and pets.
On the day
- Take your bag, phone, medicines and documents. If it’s safe, turn off the gas, electricity and water at the mains.
- Follow the emergency services, and don’t return until you’re told it’s safe.