Do You Have An Emergency Response System In Place?

Proper Preparation With An Emergency Response System May Save Lives

Every family should develop an emergency response system they can rely on whenever there is an emergency of any kind in the home. In many cases, family members assume everyone will know what to do and who to contact, but panic can create chaos and lead to confusion that can be deadly. Taking the time to create an emergency response system that's consistent and making sure everyone in the family is familiar with it can save time and lives when a tragedy strikes.

Invest in all of the home safety equipment recommended by the government, such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers located in the appropriate locations. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do if a detector goes off and how to use a fire extinguisher properly in the event of a small fire. Training in CPR and first aid for the whole family are also a good way to improve your family's ability to respond properly to an emergency situation.

Create a neat, easy to read emergency guide on your computer and print out copies for each family member in your household and ask every family member to read it and familiarize themselves with the information. They should keep the booklet near a phone so they can refer to it quickly. Crucial information should be kept in this book, such as emergency contact phone numbers and the names and phone numbers of doctors for anyone living in the house.

Your emergency response system should also cover information such as evacuation procedures if the house is on fire or if there is a flood. Where are the safest exits? Where will the family meet so that others will know who has safely gotten out of the house? Designate a single location as a meeting place so you can meet and confirm and take a head count.

Programming your home phones and cell phones with crucial phone numbers, including all doctors, emergency personnel and anyone you may want to contact in an emergency should be part of your family's emergency response system. You may also want to include the appropriate clergy if this will bring comfort to a loved one in times of stress.

Consider hiring a home inspector to give your home a complete check to look for any potential problems. Part of being responsive to an emergency is prevention. Taking care of a faulty furnace or bad wiring before it causes a problem is the best way to avoid having to cope with a real emergency.

Finally, if you are concerned that someone in your family may have trouble using a fire extinguisher, getting up if they have fallen, or may simply be too frail to evacuate themselves quickly from their home in the event of an emergency, consider installing a medical alert system in their home. These professionally monitored emergency response systems give you an extra layer of protection beyond what you can provide through your own vigilance, and save lives every year.