Situation · Evacuation

You have to leave home: ten well-prepared minutes.

Any emergency can end in an evacuation. If the bags are packed and the destination is decided, leaving in ten minutes is possible and far less stressful.

Time10 minutes

The essentialsPeople and animals

With youMedication and documents

Let them knowYour outside contact

Do the drill What to do now

Drill

Could you leave in 10 minutes?

Practise as a family: press start and see whether in ten minutes you're all at the door with your bags, the animals and the essentials.

Do it calmly, without running on the stairs. The point is to find out what goes wrong.

Step by step

What to do, and when

Leave if the authorities tell you to or if your home is no longer safe.In 10 minutes: people, animals, bags, medication, phones, keys and documents.Turn off the gas, electricity and water if you're told to.Tell your contact outside the province where you're going.

Settle in at the agreed destination: a relative's house, accommodation or a shelter.Keep the family together and the animals under control.Follow official information about returning home.

Organise day-to-day life away from home: medication, school and work.Only go back when the authorities say so, and check the house before going in.

Your margin

What decides how long you can hold out

The warning time: 10 minutes, an hour or a day.

The grab bags: packed or not yet.

Transport and the car's fuel tank.

A destination that takes everyone, animals included.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask most

What should the grab bag contain?

Water and some food, medication, a torch, a charger, copies of documents, cash, a change of clothes and what the children and animals need. One per person.

Where do I go if I'm evacuated?

Wherever the authorities say, or the destination you've agreed as a family: the home of a relative or friend outside the risk area.

Can I take my dog to the shelter?

It depends on the shelter: not all of them take animals. That's why it's a good idea to have your own destination planned that does.

What do I do if someone at home can't walk?

Tell 112 or your council as soon as possible that there's a person with reduced mobility, and include it in your family plan.

To read later

Guides to help you prepare

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