Leave quickly
Evacuating fast, what to grab, and how to travel safely.
Should we stay or go?
Go if:
- you are told to evacuate by police, fire service or the council;
- water is rising towards the house, or fire is approaching;
- the building is damaged or unsafe;
- staying puts you in more danger than travelling.
Stay if:
- you are told to stay in;
- there is a chemical cloud, fallout or riot outside;
- the roads are blocked, flooded or dangerous;
- you have no safe place to go to.
When it is unclear, the safer choice is usually to stay put and get information, unless the danger is coming directly to you.
Go in 15 minutes
- Everyone: shoes on, warm coat, waterproofs.
- Grab bag for each person (see below).
- Medicines and glasses.
- Phones, chargers and power banks.
- Documents folder and cash.
- Pets, with leads, carriers and food.
- Turn off gas, electricity and water if told to, or if flooding is coming.
- Lock up.
- Leave a note saying where you have gone (somewhere discreet, agreed in advance).
- Tell a family contact where you are heading.
Grab bag (one per person)
- Water (1 to 2 litres) and snacks.
- A change of clothes, warm layers and waterproofs.
- Torch and spare batteries.
- Phone charger and power bank.
- Basic first aid and personal medicines.
- Toiletries, sanitary products, hand gel.
- For the child: comfort toy, small games, snacks they like, nappies or spare pants if needed.
- Whistle, emergency foil blanket.
Documents folder (waterproof)
- Passports and driving licences.
- Birth certificates.
- Insurance policies, with the claims phone number.
- Bank details and a list of account numbers.
- Medical information and prescriptions.
- Copies of the deeds or tenancy agreement.
- Key phone numbers and addresses on paper.
- Recent family photos (to help find anyone who gets separated).
Travelling
- Use routes given by the authorities. Expect traffic and closures.
- Do not drive or walk through floodwater. 30 cm of moving water can float a car, and 15 cm can knock an adult off their feet.
- Keep the fuel tank at least half full at all times, so you are never stuck on empty.
- Have at least two destinations planned, in different directions.
Leaving from home
- Agree your first choice destination (family or friends outside the risk area) and a second choice.
- Keep the grab bags by the door or in the van.
Leaving in the van
- Fill the fresh water tank.
- Check the gas bottle and leisure battery.
- Load food, bedding and grab bags.
- Secure all loose items and close roof vents.
- Remove the electric hook-up cable and step.
- Check the route on a paper map in case sat-nav is down.
- Routes out of the North West: M6 north to Cumbria and Scotland, M6 south to the Midlands, M62 east over the Pennines, M56/A55 west into North Wales. Know at least two.
Get ready before it happens
- A grab bag for each person, packed and checked every 6 months
- A waterproof documents folder
- Two planned destinations, agreed with the family and the hosts
- Paper road map, with routes marked
- Keep the fuel tank above half
- Pet carrier and food
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