Five tips to plan for emergencies

This page is available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

During emergencies, always listen carefully to the advice of the emergency services and follow their instructions.

Here are five steps you can take to be ready in times of crisis. You don’t need to do everything at once, start small and build from there.  

1. Know the risks 

• Check local risks (like flooding, severe weather, power cuts).
• Sign up for official alerts. 
• Plan ahead when travelling. 

Easy win: check your local risks online today.

2. Make a plan 

• Consider what you would do in an emergency - such as fire, flood, or evacuation. Plan how you would call for help, or leave your home safely, what essential items you would take, and where you would go. 
• In emergencies it can be hard to find family and friends who live nearby. Agree a meeting place in advance that will be clear of any potential hazards (like a community hub). 
• Speak with your family and choose someone outside your local area who’ll be a contact during emergencies.  
• Keep a paper list of key contacts, medicines and insurance details. 
• You may need to turn off electricity, gas and water supplies in an emergency.  Learn how to do this in advance so you can leave your property quickly and safely.
• Teach children what to do and how to call for help.

Easy win: agree a meeting place with your household.

3. Look out for others 

Being prepared isn’t just about you, it helps your community too. 

• Learn basic first aid.
• Check on neighbours who may need support.
• Exchange contact details with your neighbours.  
• Consider a local messaging group.
• Include pets in your plan.

Easy win: save a neighbour’s phone number and download the British Red Cross first aid app.

4. Prepare your home 

• Test smoke alarms regularly.
• Know how to turn off utilities.
• Check your insurance covers the risks in your area and is suitable for the support you might need.
• If your home is at risk of flooding, take extra steps to prepare. Follow British Red Cross advice on what to do before, during and after a flood.  

Easy win: test your smoke alarm today.  

5. Get emergency supplies ready  

When an emergency happens, things can move quickly. Having a few essentials ready in advance can give you peace of mind and help you feel more prepared. 

Read our advice on how to prepare an emergency kit. You can start with the basics and build your kit over time. 

Easy win: set aside a torch and a power bank in one place. 

More free help and advice

If you learn better through interactive workshops, visit our community education workshops page to find out about our climate resilience workshops.  

Get advice for helping children and young people cope with emergencies in our teaching resources section. 

• Our Humankind CPD Programme includes free courses such as Teaching Climate Preparedness, for those working with UK youth aged 11-18 years.  
• See our free online teaching resources to enable children and young people to learn first aid. There is a teaching resource for 5-11 year olds and 11 years and older. 
• The Pillowcase Project is an education programme to help children aged 7 to 11 understand, cope with and respond to weather-related emergencies. 
• Check out our free online resources to help teachers talk to children aged 5-11 and 11-19 about major emergencies. 
• Our crisis resource for teachers shows how teachers can help young people in distress.