Account for people and animals.
Discuss how everybody would leave, including anyone who needs help. Agree what happens if someone is at work, school or elsewhere when an instruction arrives.
02 / BUG OUT
A departure plan.
Before the knock at the door.
An evacuation may mean a friend’s spare room, a hotel or an official rest centre. Think through the practical details while you have time.
Immediate danger comes first.
If there is a fire or another immediate threat, escape without stopping to collect possessions. Follow emergency service instructions.
Choose destinations and alternatives.
Immediate safety, an assembly point and overnight accommodation may be different places. Think about routes, transport, accessibility and whether animals can be accommodated.
Know what is packed—and what must be added.
Separate things that can stay ready from essentials used every day. Keep a written reminder of last-minute items such as medicines, spectacles, keys and your phone.
Test what you expect to carry.
A bag needs to suit its carrier. Include water and last-minute additions when checking the load, and consider how your plan works if a car or lift is unavailable.
Keep a simple written record.
Note instructions, their source, any departure deadline and your intended destination. A small notebook can keep important information together when plans change.