Emergency evacuation for the survival of your family

Home evacuation is not something we would like to think about on a daily basis. But if the worst happened, what would you do? It could be a natural disaster, a flood warning, or a gas leak. It could be anything. In a survival situation, you may have to leave your home. For some people, having to vacate their homes, leaving everything behind, is a reality. In some areas of Tokyo, and even closer to home in California, earthquakes are a real threat. On the Great Plains of America, tornadoes occur regularly. In Australia, a small fire can easily get out of control and lead to a large-scale bushfire. The truth is that, in certain areas of the world, these things can happen.

Living in a metropolis or a big city comes with a long list of potential dangers. These are largely related to crime, dangerous driving or traffic. In the event of a large-scale emergency, have you considered what would be best for your family? One of the advantages of larger cities is that there are many places to take refuge. In World War II, London’s underground train network doubled as a safe haven for many residents who had to take refuge underground during the Blitz. In immediate danger, cities offer many places to take your family and loved ones to keep them safe. In addition, cities offer a host of civil services that can be implemented instantly. Most modern cities will have developed contingency plans for worst-case scenarios. Those contingencies include the deployment of police, national guards, ambulances and doctors. Being in a city is a safe place to get on your knees and wait.

Cities, despite all their advantages, have some disadvantages. Cities are home to millions of people. If a natural disaster such as an earthquake occurs, your first instinct is to remove yourself and your family from the danger zone. In this situation cities are certainly a problem. Being that millions of people will probably have the exact same idea as you. In a state of disaster, you can bet that roads will be blocked, public transportation closed, and all roads outside of the city blocked, either by traffic or by authorities. The streets themselves can easily fall into mass panic. As we have seen in recent years in London and New York, large gatherings of people can easily turn into riots or looting. In this case, a city can be dangerous, so it is important to keep your loved ones close.

Suburbia tends to be an area located on the outskirts of a city. An area where people who work in the city reside but do not want to live in the city itself. These areas are generally characterized by a village feel. There are shops or markets, but in general the suburbs are less populated and easier to get around. Unlike cities, suburbs are likely to lack the resources to be able to put large-scale civil service on the ground during a state of emergency. This can be a negative, particularly in cases like floods, where you can be stranded for long periods of time. There is also little room to shelter in the suburbs beyond the safety of home and fewer opportunities for public transportation. One of the great advantages of a suburban disaster is that it is relatively easier to reunite your family. This is a great benefit in times of disaster as it allows you to regroup with a minimum of hassle. In an emergency, the first instinct is to get yourself and your family as far away as possible. Suburban settings facilitate this easily. There is not much traffic, nor are the roads likely to be blocked. When you live in the suburbs, it’s easy to gather your family, put them in a car, and hit the road. You may be on your own, in terms of government support, but it’s easy to put an exit strategy in place quickly and effectively. Living in a suburban environment has fewer places to shelter but offers better options to get out.

Rural communities pride themselves on being self-sufficient. In fact, much of that pride comes from the fact that rural communities are generally left to fend for themselves. The types of natural disasters you would expect to see in a rural community are related to flooding or wind-driven disasters. In these situations the first thing you have to realize is that you are alone. The likelihood of civil services reaching rural communities in time is slim, and existing services, the sheriff’s department, doctors, etc., are likely to be scarce on the ground. In a rural community you will have to enlist the help of your neighbors. You may even have to think about protecting livestock. In a rural community, the biggest advantage is how easy it is to evacuate combined with the assistance of your neighbors. Importantly, they must stick together and work together to achieve this.

Another survival thought is whether it is better to stay together or separate. Splitting up can often seem tempting, since you can cover more ground that way. If you live in a rural community, splitting up can be helpful, because with the small population it’s unlikely you’ll be permanently separated. However, if you live in a suburban or urban environment, splitting up is not a good idea. With a larger population, the best thing to do is stick together. People can easily get lost in big cities, even without a disaster. If you have to evacuate a city, always keep your family close.

Plan, prepare, protect, overcome, endure, endure, do it and keep body, soul and family together. You need a plan to prepare and protect yourself and your family. Survival is our strategy!”