Warm weather is a perfect time to practice home emergency drills in the Midwest!  Being prepared in case of an emergency is essential, and planning out a course of action can relieve anxiety surrounding accidents such as home fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and tornadoes.

Who should think about doing home emergency drills?  While this list is not limited, think about doing something like this if you are one of the following:

• A family or parent with children : Your kids are used to doing fire drills and tornado drills in school and it is just as important for them to know what to do in case of one of these emergencies at home.  Their lives can depend on it! Doing this will also relieve some of your worry as a parent/guardian.
• If you are in a new home : Doing emergency action plans is something that should be done in the first few weeks of moving into a new home.  If this is something that you have not done yet in your new home, create a plan that will give you peace of mind and help you feel more safe!
• If you are 50+ : As we age, we sometimes need to adapt our action plans to fit with our new lifestyle.  No matter what age, we all want to feel cool, calm and collected if disaster strikes.

 

FIRE DRILLS

June is perfect for practicing fire and carbon monoxide drills in Wisconsin because the weather is nice and you don’t have to worry about leaving your house and stepping out into the cold!  

What to cover:

• Make sure everyone in the home knows which alarm is the fire detector and that they know what the alarm sounds like if smoke is detected.
• Replace the batteries in your fire alarms.
• Go over basic fire safety:
  • Touch the door before you open it – if it i warm, DO NOT OPEN
  • Crawl on the ground to avoid smoke inhalation
  • Stop, Drop, Roll!
  • What to do if you cannot get out of your room (this will vary for each home)
• Where to meet as a family – mailbox or neighbor’s driveway

 

CARBON MONOXIDE DRILLS

This emergency is similar to a fire in that you need to leave your home immediately – the only difference is that there is no open flame or smoke inhalation to worry about.  The MOST IMPORTANT thing here is time – with carbon monoxide, you need to leave your home immediately.

What to cover:

• Make sure everyone in the home knows which alarm is the carbon monoxide detector and that they know what the alarm sounds like if the gas is detected.
• Replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector.
• Practice leaving the house in a calm and orderly fashion, in the quickest way possible when the alarm goes off.  Time yourself! See how quickly you can do it while also being SAFE!
• Where to meet as a family – mailbox or neighbor’s driveway

 

TORNADO DRILLS

DID YOU KNOW? – May and June are tornado season in Wisconsin and the Midwest!  This is the perfect time to make sure your family knows what to do in case of one!

What to cover:

• Make sure you know what the severe weather sirens sound like!  (Most cities have weekly tests)
• Determine where the safest place to take shelter is.  The safest places during severe weather are basements, or if you do not have one; doorways and bathtubs.
• Practice getting in a “covered position” – where you are on the ground, using your arms to cover and protect your head from falling debris.

 

POWER OUTAGE

Power outages are the least “threatening” of these emergencies so far.  Regardless, it is still good to know what to do if there is no power and the neighborhood goes dark for a little while.

What to cover:

• If in place, go over where the backup power sources are – these could be generators, heaters, hand warmers, and battery packs for charging electronic devices
• Go over where extra flashlights, blankets, and batteries are kept.
• One great idea is to make sure each person living in the house has a flashlight they can keep under or near their bed!

 

Let us know about what else you do to stay prepared in case of emergencies!  What tips do you have for families with children and for individuals living on their own?