If emergency workers knocked on your door and told you that you have five minutes to get out, what would you take with you? Residents in a Canadian community were forced to pick up and run when a train carrying propane tanks derailed. All Headline News reports:
“The CN spokeswoman explained the propane tanks are designed to vent in case of a rail accident to prevent explosion. Local authorities placed a two-kilometer radius safety perimeter fence around the accident site, while Transport Canada placed a six-kilometer no-fly zone. Families around the two-kilometer radius were also evacuated. There are no injuries resulting from the train derailment.”
This is an easy exercise to practice with your family. Start the timer and see how long it takes to load up some essentials and get to a “safe” location. When you arrive, make an inventory of what you should have taken, versus what you actually did take with you. Is there a better to pack certain things so they’re always ready at a moment’s notice, such as important documents? Having a well-stocked emergency kit with enough food and water for several days is another essential to have. That way you don’t have to try to gather individual items on extremely short notice. Remember, if you’re forced to evacuate because of an emergency situation, you don’t know how long it will be before you can return to your home.