Community Safety
Emergency Evacuation Plan By Judy Caponigro, Northgate Area CERT Team, Resident since 2016
Happy New Year! At the beginning of every year we make resolutions. As a resolution for 2020, your Northgate Area CERT Team would like you to consider creating an emergency evacuation plan for your family. There are a number of emergencies that may require evacuation with some requiring leaving at a moment’s notice. Planning ahead is crucial to ensuring that you can evacuate quickly and safely, no matter the circumstances. According to www.ready.gov/evacuation it is important to plan in advance how you will leave and where you will go in the event of an evacuation. Following are a few tips to consider: Identify several places you could go in an emergency (for example, a friend’s home in another town or a motel). Choose destinations in different directions so you have options.
of unexpected emergencies. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages. Plan to take one car per family to reduce congestion on the roads. If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if needed. Make arrangements with family, friends or your local government. These are just a few key items to consider. To learn more, please visit www.ready.gov/evacuation. Next month: What to take with you during an emergency Stay Safe Out There. If you are interested in learning more about CERT and/or how to become a volunteer, please visit our website at www.walnut-creek. org/cert
If you have children, arrange ahead of time for a friend, neighbor or family member to pick them up if you are too far away to reach them. If needed, identify places to stay that will accept pets. Keep in mind that most public shelters only allow service animals. Be familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area. Always follow the instructions of local officials and remember that your evacuation route may be on foot depending on the type of disaster. Develop a family/household communication and re-unification plan (a handy form is available at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/ assets/documents/133447. If you have a car, keep the gas tank full if an evacuation seems likely. At all other times, keep the tank at least half full in case
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