Safety drill: Winter Evacuation plan?

I have a full (so I thought) safety evacuation plan. But, sitting here in my basement playroom I had never thought of us evacuating on a cold winter day. Exits are via big windows in my basement playroom as well as patio doors off my rec room steps away. BUT...once we get out, on a cold winter day I would have freezing cold kids who would be walking (I would be carrying the 2 non-walkers) to our neighbour's 2 doors down in sock/slippered feet (their outdoor wear is all on hooks up at my front door)!
How have you all dealt planned around a winter evacuation without winter gear/boots at hand?

Have you thought about getting a few pairs of rubber boots to keep downstairs. They would not be perfect, but at lest everyone will have something on their feet. They don't have to fit perfect.

I would probably grab some huge blankets out of storage in my futon in the daycare room, put all our boots on and grab the phone if there was a fire and we had to get out quickly. Trying to get hold of all the coats wouldn't work if we had to get out really quickly. Thanks for bringing up this subject because we practice firedrills and talk about safety once or twice a year, but in the nice weather.

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Originally Posted by BlueRose

Have you thought about getting a few pairs of rubber boots to keep downstairs. They would not be perfect, but at lest everyone will have something on their feet. They don't have to fit perfect.

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Yes, good idea... any thoughts on what to do about coats? I think what I may do is take one of our huge Rubbermaid storage totes, put it outside the window with a bunch of blankets, rubber boots, old winter coats (I have lots of extras) in it and put the lid on (protecting it from the elements). Then as I evacuate them out the window I can put them in this big tote and cover them with the blankets....I actually could drag them to the neighbors right in the tote if need be.

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Originally Posted by BlueRose

Have you thought about getting a few pairs of rubber boots to keep downstairs. They would not be perfect, but at lest everyone will have something on their feet. They don't have to fit perfect.

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Yes, good idea... any thoughts on what to do about coats? I think what I may do is take one of our huge Rubbermaid storage totes, put it outside the window with a bunch of blankets, rubber boots, old winter coats (I have lots of extras) in it and put the lid on (protecting it from the elements). Then as I evacuate them out the window I can put them in this big tote and cover them with the blankets....I actually could drag them to the neighbors right in the tote if need be.

No idea why my post duplicated above (or why I somehow can't delete it)....sorry about that:)

Before I had my van to toss them into in an emergency I had a tarp in the laundry room that I could throw outside for them to stand on if we had to evacuate from the lower level and from the main level I would just toss all their stuff out the door cause it is right beside the door.

Than in the shed I had my wagon with many extra blankets to snuggle under and all of them would fit in there in an emergency it be squishy but it would work.

I also have an 'emergency evacuation bag' that was stored in the shed at the time had extra clothes and food and 'entertainment books / puppets' so forth cause my 'emergency location' had to be something I could access and well I do not have any neighbors I know well enough to ask for a key to their house so I chose the corner store and they were ok if we were to come and sit in the staff room quietly in an emergency so I needed something to 'keep them quiet' while waiting for parents to come pick up :o

if you are able to grab their coats great. if not how about picking up some cheap ones and putting them in a bag, keep them with the rubber boot. you can put them on the kids outside. Again they don't have to fit perfectly. they just have to work until you can get them some place warm. And make sure you have boots and coat/sweater for yourself in the basement too.

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Originally Posted by BlueRose

. And make sure you have boots and coat/sweater for yourself in the basement too.

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Totally forgot about me!!!!

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Originally Posted by Dreamalittledream

Totally forgot about me!!!!

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LOL ~ typical caregiver trait always think of ourselves last ;)

I still keep an extra set of clothes, coat and footwear in my van a habit I had from my centre days ~ you just never knew when a child would puke, poop or spill on you and well I could not 'finish out my shift' uncomfortable like that .... so I still keep it in the trunk in my emergency rubbermaid container with all the other stuff in case it happens at playgroup so it would work in a situation like that if I had evacuate ;)

Wish I had the van as a evacuation destination! But, we are a one car family and it travels with hubby to work all day.

Another reason I require running shoes for indoor wear. If we have to leave winter or summer their feet are covered.

There area adult and child fleece ponchos that you could buy or have made. That would be like throwing a blanket over each one but still allow them to walk. Actually something to look into for those doign school runs as it would give a layer top and bottom and block wind going over whatever the child has on that day.

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Originally Posted by Dreamalittledream

Wish I had the van as a evacuation destination! .

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I hear ya ~ I did not get my van until 2010 so I had several years of having to walk/bus places with the children lugging around all the emergency gear ... do you at least have a storage place onsite to keep a big Rubbermaid container with emergency provisions for yourself and the kids? Or you could keep it in the basement and just toss it out the window with you in a fire?

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

I hear ya ~ I did not get my van until 2010 so I had several years of having to walk/bus places with the children lugging around all the emergency gear ... do you at least have a storage place onsite to keep a big Rubbermaid container with emergency provisions for yourself and the kids? Or you could keep it in the basement and just toss it out the window with you in a fire?

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Yes, I think the Rubbermaid is my best plan:)

Can you keep the bin inside near the window it stays warm and in the event you were trapped in teh basement it would be useful still ie an earthquake or something. Leaving it outside runs the risk of it disappearing, getting frozen shut, the contents deterriorating too quickly, frozen water or juice is not usable, etc.