The family plan
Ten minutes at the kitchen table. Free, and worth more than most gear.
Agree on
- Where you meet if you cannot go home.
- Who collects the children, and who is the backup.
- One contact outside the area everyone reports to.
- What you do about pets.
Write it down
- One page. A copy on the fridge, one in each bag, a photo on each phone.
- Include allergies, medicine and the doctor's number.
With children
- Tell them the plan calmly, as a boring fact, like the fire drill at school.
- Give each child a job. A child with a torch to look after is a calm child.
- Pack a toy and a game. It is not a luxury.
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Updated 9 October 2026.