Try this test to see how prepared you are for an emergency.
- Do you have a household emergency plan? Yes / No
- Have you discussed your plan with family and friends? Yes / No
- Do you know the emergency plan for your children's school/nursery/college? Yes / No
- Do you know the emergency plan for your workplace? Yes / No
- Have you completed a personal emergency contact list? Yes / No
- Have you prepared a check list for an emergency 'grab bag', or packed it ready to go? Yes / No
- Do you have 'In Case of Emergency' (ICE) contact(s) in your phone, wallet or purse? Yes / No
- Do you have an emergency friend - unlikely to be affected by the same emergency - who can keep family and friends informed? Yes / No
- Do you have a wind-up or battery-operated portable FM/AM/DAB radio? Yes / No
- Do you have alternative, agreed meeting points? Yes / No
- Do you have working smoke alarms in your home? Yes / No
- Do you have adequate contents and buildings insurance? Yes / No
- Do you have copies of important documents stored somewhere other than at home? Yes / No
- Do you have a written list of your valuables, plus photographs or DVD/video? Yes / No
- Have you taken a basic first aid course? Yes / No
- Have you checked if you're in a flood risk area? Yes / No
- Have you thought about arrangements for pets if you need to leave your home? Yes / No
- Have you identified possible exit routes from every room in your home? Yes / No
12 or more 'Yesses'? Congratulations - your preparations are going well. Keep them up to date.
Between 8 and 12 'Yesses'? You're making good progress, but there's a lot more you can do.
Fewer than 8 'Yesses'? You seem under-prepared. Maybe you don't like thinking about the subject. Remember - the readier you are, the better you'll cope.