The First Mistake Families Make When They Have to Evacuate Quickly
- Jackie Kloosterboer
Most families think it’s about what to pack. In reality, the biggest mistake happens long before they reach for a bag.
When people think about disaster preparedness, they think about stuff.
Water.
Flashlights.
First aid kits.
Grab-and-go bags.
And yes, those things matter. But after 30+ years of supporting families during real evacuations, I can tell you this - The biggest mistake families make has nothing to do with what’s in their bag. It’s the decisions they haven’t made before they have to leave.
What Happens When There’s No Plan
Picture this. You’ve just been told to evacuate. Your heart is racing. You’re trying to think clearly, but everything feels urgent and chaotic.
And suddenly, the questions start:
“Where are we going?”
“Who’s picking up the kids?”
“Should we take two cars or one?”
“Where’s the cat?”
“Do we have enough gas?”
“What about Mom?”
No one has answers. Not because you’re unprepared. But because you never had the conversation.
“If your family has to stop and figure it out, you’ve already lost time you don’t have.”
The Reality I See Over and Over
At Reception Centres, I’ve watched families arrive:
Separated
Overwhelmed
Missing pets
Without medications
Not knowing where they’ll sleep that night
And almost always, the issue wasn’t that they forgot something. It’s that they hadn’t decided how they would leave. They had never had the conversation with their family.
The Decisions That Matter Most
You don’t need a perfect plan. But you do need a few key decisions made before things go sideways.
As you think this through, remember - Not all disasters are the same. Evacuating from a house fire is very different from evacuating due to a wildfire or flood.
Start here:
1. Where Will You Go?
Not “we’ll figure it out.”
Pick 1–2 real options:
A friend or family member
A hotel in a nearby community
A designated meeting point
2. How Will You Leave?
One car or multiple?
Who drives?
What’s your backup route?
3. How Will You Communicate?
Phones fail. Networks get overwhelmed.
Choose an out-of-town contact
Decide how you’ll check in
4. Who Does What?
This is a big one, and very often overlooked.
Who grabs the pets?
Who grabs medications?
Who checks on kids or parents?
5. What’s Non-Negotiable?
If you had 10 minutes, what matters most?
Documents?
Medications?
Photos?
Kids’ essentials?
Pet supplies?
Decide now, so you’re not deciding under pressure.
Why This Matters More Than Any Kit
“The first 15 minutes will shape everything that comes next.”
You can have the best emergency kit in the world, but if your family is:
arguing
unsure
scattered
that kit won’t help you in the first 15 minutes. And those first 15 minutes matter the most.
The Truth No One Talks About
Prepared families don’t just have supplies.
They have:
clarity
roles
a plan they’ve talked through
That’s what creates calm in chaos. That’s what helps kids feel safe. That’s what gets you out the door faster, and together.
Your Simple Next Step
Tonight, ask your family one question:
“If we had to leave in 10 minutes, what would we do?”
Don’t overthink it. Don’t make it complicated. Just start the conversation.
Because that conversation could change everything.
And remember: Life safety always comes first. If its not safe to grab your supplies - Don't do it! Get out quickly and safely.
Want Help Making This Easy?
If you’re a busy mom, or know one, who wants a simple, step-by-step way to get your family prepared without overwhelm, my program “Mom’s Ultimate Disaster Plan” walks you through exactly what to do, one small step at a time.
Comment READY or send me a message, and I’ll share the details.
Final Thought
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about not having to think from scratch when everything is happening at once. Because when the moment comes:
You don’t rise to the occasion.
You fall to the level of your preparation.
Jackie Kloosterboer is a disaster preparedness expert with over 30 years of experience supporting communities through real emergencies. As the founder of Survive-It Disaster Preparedness, she helps families and communities prepare, practice, and respond with confidence, because having a plan isn’t enough, you need to know it works.