Wildfire Evacuation Plan: When you have some warning.

by Anna Glendenning | More from this Blogger

18 May 2007 12:07 PM

In the last blog I wrote about the things we need to do if an evacuation is ordered and you must leave now. Sometimes, especially with wild fires, local officials may not advise an immediate evacuation but warn areas that an evacuation may happen because there's a chance things may get worse. When you are asked to Stand By for an evacuation, consider this time valuable and take steps to protect your home and family.

Protecting your house:

• Bring everything inside, including: Patio furniture, garbage cans, the kid's toys, gardening equipment, hanging plants, and all the other things that may obstruct the path of fire fighters, or act as fuel for a spark to ignite.
• Look for potential hazards. Check for pine cones, unripened fruit, and other things hanging in trees around your property. Anything outside that would make good tender for a fire should be brought inside your house, where the risk of ash hitting it and starting a fire is reduced.
• Leave your lights on in the house. If the power doesn't fail, the lights will call attention to your home during hours of darkness.
• Leave your doors and windows closed but unlocked. Firefighters, may need to gain quick entry to fight fire. During an evacuation don't worry about looting the area will be isolated, and is usually guarded by authorities.
• Open you fireplace damper to help stabilize outside-inside pressure, and keep fireplace screen closed to avoid any so sparks entering the house.
• Close outside attic, eaves, and basement vents to help prevent the possibility of sparks blowing into hidden areas of the house.
• Leave natural gas on because a licensed professional will be required to turn it back on, and it could take weeks for a professional to get to your request later.
• Turn off propane gas service.
• Water your lawn, roof and flowerbeds if possible. Wet down your property and be sure to leave hoses connected if fire is widespread it could be the first equipment available to put out a small fire before it gets bigger.
• Take a copy of your Household inventory and if you haven't done one get the video camera out or make a list of all of your household possessions. Record model and serial numbers.

Gather important supplies and papers including the following:

• First aid kit.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Battery-operated radio.
• Prescription medications.
• Eyeglasses, dentures, contacts or other needed items.
• Water (one gallon per person is recommended; more is better.
• Food and snacks.
• Items for babies and elderly household members.
• Extra clothes for every household member.
• Sleeping bags, bedroll and pillows for each household member.
• Checkbook, cash, ATM cards and credit cards.
• Maps of the area and state.
• Personal Phonebook and your local phonebook (there may be valuable information in your local phonebook you might need.)

Take these Important papers with you if you haven't planned ahead and made copies which are safely protected:

• Driver's license, passports and personal identification for each household member.
• Social Security card, immigration paperwork.
• Proof of residency such as your house deed or lease or rental agreement.
• All of your Insurance policies, including your household inventory.
• Adoption decrees, birth and marriage certificates.
• Stocks, bonds, and other negotiable certificates, cash and coins Wills, deeds, and copies of recent tax returns.

Once you have these things taken care of, you can start thinking about the less important things you might need to do. The next blog will discuss some of the tips and things we can do to protect valuables, and sentimental objects before and during a possible evacuation.

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Related Blogs:

• Is Your Home In The Wildland-Urban Interface?
• Landscaping To Reduce Wild Fire Risks For Homeowners.
• Firewise Landscaping: Trees

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evacuation plan, evacuation, Fire, Wildfire