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Preparing for evacuation:
- Confine pets to one room. Make plans to care for your pets in case you must evacuate (some evacuation shelters do not allow pets so call ahead to find out).
- Arrange temporary housing at a friend or relative’s home outside the threatened area. If your house is affected by the fire, check with your insurance representative about coverage for Alternative Living Accommodation costs.
- If there are elderly or handicapped person(s) who may require special attention or care, call your EMS well in advance of your evacuation for further direction or assistance.
- Familiarize yourself with local emergency contacts (Fire, Ambulance, and Police).
- Disconnect your garage door opener in case the power goes out but ensure the door is closed and unlocked. If you disengage the automatic garage door opener you can manually open the door quickly in the event of a power failure. The garage door should still be in the closed position but unlocked. Most garage door openers have an automatic door feature.
- Map out at least 2 escape routes from your neighbourhood.
If advised to evacuate, do so immediately
Upon leaving:
1. Follow directions of emergency officials.
2. Make sure to take any necessary prescription medications or medical equipment with you.
3. Close all doors within the home as this will slow the spread of fire inside the house.
4. Secure and lock your home.
5. If they are easily accessible, take valuable items that you can carry like jewelery, cash, cheques, credit and bank cards, important personal documents like birth certificates, passports, deeds, health cards, ID cards, SIN cards, etc.
6. Account for all occupants (do a head count at your departure area).
7. Specify a call-in time and a number or a meeting place in case you become separated or are departing in separate vehicles. For minors, consider identification tags in case they become separated from you in the evacuation process.
8. Follow the designated routes or directions given by relevant authorities or take the routes you have mapped out if there are no directives from the authorities. (This is no time to explore short cuts).
9. If traffic lights are out, treat uncontrolled intersections as four-way stops unless directed by authorized personnel.
If you're sure you have time...
- Place lawn sprinklers or hoses on the roof of your house and turn them on.
- Remove combustible materials from the exterior walls of the dwelling e.g., fire wood, yard waste, barbecue. (Store them safely in a shed or garage if possible).
- Close windows, doors, vents, and window coverings.
- Turn off propane tanks, gas or oil supply lines.
- Turn off heating or cooling systems.
- Place patio furniture and plastic play sets inside.
- If your home is centrally monitored, advise your monitoring company of your impending departure.
- Fill sinks or bathtubs with water as it will retard the spread of fire.
Create a disaster plan for your family
Wildfire and other types of disasters – hurricanes, windstorms, tornados, flooding, hazardous material spills, etc. – can strike without warning. You can cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together to create a family disaster plan and doing a trial run each year. Create a check list of things that can be done quickly and safely in advance of a pending disaster.
Remember your safety and that of your family should be your number-one priority. Insurance can replace many of your lost or destroyed possessions. If you have any questions regarding your coverage, please call your sales or claims representative at:
TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Claims Contact Number : 1 866 482 1919
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