As the tragedy of the LA county fires splash through the headlines and we help those who lost their homes the best we can, it is a fitting time to revisit how prepared we are individually to protect our families and our homes in the event of emergency evacuations. Fast-moving fires due to intense wind conditions, earthquakes and tsunami conditions along the coast, are all prime examples of the limited time and capacity that government officials and first responders may be able to protect against or assist in an emergency event. This puts the responsibly squarely on our shoulders as home owners to plan and be equipped to the best of our ability.
There are a number of resources available for the preparation of extreme fire condi-tions and it is essential that we appreciate evacuations are fluid and must be adapted to the type of emergency we are facing. Individual mobile home parks have developed Emergency Preparedness Plans to inform residents about what to do in preparation for and in the event of an emergency that includes evacuation routes.
By knowing what to do if an evacuation is necessary, you can dramatically increase your family’s safety. The Red Cross (www.redcross.org) has a wide array of information on creating and practicing emergency plans as well as preparing for fire safety for your family and home. Another valuable resource to draw from is Cal Fire’s (www.readyforwildfire.org) web-site that that leads you step by step to prepare yourself, prepare your property, and prepare for evacuation.
Both the Red Cross and Cal Fire provide checklists and templates for proactively being ready for fire emergencies and evacuation protocols that are helpful. You may have also heard beneficial rules of thumb on the local news to help you prepare and be thinking about emergencies. One mentioned is the “The Six P’s” addressing what to keep in mind and what you need in case of immediate evacuation:
- People and pets
- Papers, phone numbers, and important documents
- Prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses
- Pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia
- Personal computers (information on hard drive and disks)
- “Plastic” (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash.
