How can I help my family and myself?
There are many things that individuals, families and shared households can do to prepare to deal with an emergency:
- Find out about emergency plans in your work place and other premises close to your home. See if they may have implications for you or your family. Find out about emergency plans in your children’s schools and confirm how you will be reunited with your children at school.
- If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, prepare to defend your property now, before any threat occurs. Make sure you are ready with temporary flood barriers. Before any water arrives you will need to store sandbags, frames and boards for shutter barriers and covers for air bricks or other vents. Co-operate with neighbours to install joint flood defences where appropriate. Check the status of any flood alerts with the Environment Agency Floodline.
Access the website of the Environment Agency for advice about flooding, flood precautions, and the Floodline for up to date flood risk information.
Access the Environment Agency's Floodline service directly.
Access the Flood Advice Guides published by the Environment Agency.
Have a Family or Home Emergency Plan – You can cope with an emergency or disaster by preparing in advance and working with families, friends and neighbours. Consider including the following in your Family or Home Emergency Plan:
- Keep emergency telephone numbers by your telephone and in your wallet/purse.
- Teach your children how and when to call the emergency services (999).
- Install smoke detectors at suitable locations throughout your house, especially near bedrooms.
- Make sure everyone knows how to get out in the event of a fire –identify an emergency evacuation route in case the front or back doors cannot be used.
- Make sure everyone knows how to turn off gas, electricity and water supplies.
- Undertake a home risk assessment including garage and shed. Ensure the removal of potential hazards e.g. faulty electrical equipment, poorly labelled weed killer, acetylene gas cylinders.
- Check that your insurance cover is adequate for your family, home and any contents. Keep brief details of your insurance and company telephone numbers with your contact list.
- Identify several places to meet if an emergency occurs: first, immediately close to your home in the case of a localised incident; second, two specific locations away from your neighbourhood in the event a major evacuation has been implemented. Identifying two enables you to select friends or family members in different areas with an options should one be away on holiday or business.
- Prepare a ‘Go Bag’ – a collection of items needed in an emergency. It will need to be easily found by all family members, and should be checked every three months. A backpack or a small suitcase with wheels will be suitable. Consider including the following items:
- Copy of documents in a waterproof bag (insurance, passport, birth certificate, copies of important family photo’s, etc).
- Torch and spare batteries.
- Battery or wind-up radio and spare batteries.
- Bottled water.
- First Aid Kit.
- Medication and other essential personal items – be sure to change medications before they expire – keep copies of prescription slips.
- Personal hygiene items, such as soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, towel, feminine hygiene products.
- Childcare supplies or other special care items.
- Emergency foil-type blankets.
- Extra set of house and car keys.
- Local A-Z map
If there is an emergency, information will probably be given on local TV and radio stations – listen for news, information and instructions on what to do. Remember, staying indoors, with doors and windows closed and air-conditioning turned off, will often be the safest place.
However, on some occasions you may be asked by the Police or the London Fire Brigade to evacuate your home. This will only happen if it is vital for your safety, and you are asked to co-operate with the emergency services.
- In addition to your ‘Go Bag’, you should also take cash, credit and debit cards.
- Also take a change of clothing, footwear and sleeping attire.
- Turn off utilities such as water, gas and electricity if instructed to do so by the emergency services, or if you believe that supplies have been damaged.
- Secure your premises and property.
- Make suitable arrangements for pets.
- Stay together as a family or household group.
- Do not enter fast flowing water where flooding is occurring.
- If you are going to stay with friends or family, try to inform a neighbour of your whereabouts.
Emergency Planning Unit
Street Management & Public Protection Department
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
Middlesex TW3 4DN
Street Management & Public Protection Department
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
Middlesex TW3 4DN