Family Emergency Plans

We live in a country that often suffers through extreme weather and environmental events. These events can sometimes be overwhelming and scary for families, and it’s important to have a household Emergency Plan in place to respond to events in a safe and controlled way.

Here are some things families can do to be prepared for emergencies, not just for the big events, but also for more personal emergencies like accidents and health problems.

Your Emergency Plan should be kept somewhere that family members can quickly find it.

• Write and maintain a list of important contact numbers. These could include work, school, local doctor, vet, police/fire/ambulance, CFS, therapy providers, and family members who can provide support/transport. Here is a list of local emergency contact numbers you may find useful to add to your list: SA.GOV.AU – Emergency phone numbers
• In your plan, include the location of local evacuation points if you live in a bushfire-prone area, and learn the best traffic routes away from your home to these designated safer places
• Draw an evacuation plan for your home. You should include a floor plan that shows where the exits from each room are (doorways, ground-floor windows) and safe exits from the house. Here are some tips for writing an evacuation plan for your home: Make a plan – CFS
• Plan with your family about what route you will follow if you have to leave your home quickly, and who will be responsible for family members who need help (children, elderly). Write this down so everyone knows the plan, and practice together so that you know your plan will work.
• Make sure you have a simple battery-operated radio that you keep tuned to your local ABC Radio station. For Adelaide, this is ABC 891AM. When there is an emergency situation (for example bushfire, or flood) this station broadcasts official Emergency Updates. You should keep replacement batteries nearby for the radio in case these are needed.
• A wide range of information about all aspects of emergency planning can be found at: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/emergencies-and-safety

Below are some helpful resources for preparing for emergencies:

• Emergency Contacts Visual – print out and write in relevant details.
• Is It An Emergency? Poster
• Putting together an emergency pack: Emergency Pack
• Get Prepared App – Get Prepared is an app that helps you connect with your key support people, accomplish simple tasks to make you and your loved ones safer, and protect the things that matter most to you in the case of an emergency: Get Prepared – Emergency Plan and Preparation App
• Community contacts: SA.GOV.AU – Emergency phone numbers
• Emergencies and Safety Information
• Preparing For Emergencies
• Templates that you can print out and fill in as a family:
  • Family Communication Plan
  • Emergency Readiness Plan

Other Resources:

• State Emergency Services (SASES) identified hazards for regions of Adelaide: Key Hazards & Risks Summary for Zones
• Mental Health Support Contact numbers:
  • Lifeline: lifeline.org.au – 13 11 14
  • Beyond Blue: beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636
  • SANE Helpline: sane.org 1800 18 7263
  • Suicide callback service: suicidecallbackservice.org.au 1300 659 467
  • Eheadspace (young people 12-25): eheadspace.org.au 1800 650 890

At My Therapy House, we have emergency evacuation plans in place so we can safely and quickly evacuate the practice in case of an emergency.

If your family is likely to need extra assistance while at our practice we will work with you to develop a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan.