Good Tips for Emergencies

Some people have posted some excellent tips and immediate practical advice for emergencies, so we will try and provide a one-stop shop for them here. Good luck and wishes to any who are suffering right now.

In an emergency:

With thanks to dianadors;

• BBC Sheffield Advice Page (very good)

With thanks to Sarah Macpherson;

• There are free pdf download documents on this web site http://www.ciria.org/flooding/ to help protect your home from flooding as well as useful contacts and useful information on what to do once the flooding has gone to get your home back to a habitable state.

With thanks to Triker;

• Firstly if you still have electricity, charge up your mobile phone.

• Anything you can, take upstairs or on high shelves, this includes pictures and photos on walls as the damp will wreck them in no time.

• If you have welly's locate them.

• Pet's do you have a pet carrier, litter tray, pet food, take it upstairs.

• Those wind up radio's and torches are a godsend right now, do you have one where is it.

• Check on your neighbours, even the one's you don't particularly like.

• Tins, Tin opener, plates, knives, forks etc, you get the picture, grab them and have them in a safe place.

• DO NOT walk through the water without welly's on if you an help it, lots of nasties in there.

• Put the plugs in the sinks and baths and try to weigh them down to stop the water backing up.

• Try not to flush the toilet too much.

• Get all documents in a safe place if poss, including; Insurance policies,Birth, marriage certificates, Mortgage stuff car and bike insurance and log books.

With thanks to LJD1;

• Sounds daft but locate your diary and address book and put it somewhere safe. A friend of mine got flooded and didn't take these so couldn't contact some of her friends for somewhere to perhaps stay or get help. She's also lost her diary which had all her appointments etc in as she's self employed so she's no idea what she's doing for the months to come.

Planning for an emergency:

With thanks to Smiley_Mum;

• I'm in the process of putting together a house inventory of all contents I have, valuables etc. There is a form here that you can use to list them all, which allows space for serial numbers, model numbers etc. Taking photos of all valuables etc and keeping receipts if you have them. I am also going to put all important paperwork in one container which, should the worst come to the worst, I can just take with me. Having copies of things I could keep at my parents also. Any photos you could keep in a container or keep backups on DVDs or online etc. I know it's not much but it may help to prevent a bit of loss to some sentimental items, photographs etc which can't be replaced. Would also help with the stress levels when placing your insurance claim should anything happen.
  
  Inventory Form.pdf
  
  http://gaga.essortment.com/homeinventorye_rdbv.htm

With thanks to Errata;

• Organise a GoBag and put all your important docs in it, plus current medication, torch, mobey, battery operated radio, serviceable clothing, toiletries, phone numbers of local council/insurance/utilities companies, rellys. If you have to shift in a hurry you only have one bag to grab.

• I'd add 'and your lappy'. If you don't use a lappy burn a couple of discs with all the important info on your PC.

With thanks to me and me monkeys;

• If you take regular meds I would tear the end of a packet off (with the name and the tablet size) or the dispensing lable from the pack (the last packet you finished) and keep them all together - if you do need an emergency perscription (or treatment) - you have some proof of your dosage - also keep all your medication together so you can find it in a hurry. If you have meds that need to be kept in the fridge. Make sure you have a cool bag and a freeze pack available.

With thanks to susieb;

• Flood Resilient Home

With thanks to Plum Pie;

• How to plan an evacuation plan

After a Flood:

• Drying house out

• Preparing for the assessors

Links last checked 20.1.14

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