The recent fires in southern California are a thing of the past – for now. But what a destructive event it was. Just in the Los Angeles area alone, more than 16,200 structures burned and at least 29 lives were lost, according to CAL FIRE. The most significant fire occurred in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. CAL FIRE reported that 57,636 acres burned in total.
California’s fire season, sadly, now runs most of the year. Which means residents and business owners must be on guard at all times. And ‘on guard’ means being prepared to evacuate.
I’m certainly no expert in disaster preparation. But as a resident of southern California, I’m keenly aware of the constant threat of wildfires and earthquakes. Being prepared to move quickly has become second nature. (Aided by active involvement in four-wheeling, of course.)
I gave you a heads up in August — “ANNOUNCEMENT: Prepare Now For Wildfire Evacuation”
Every household’s situation is unique. But the common need is to evacuate quickly. Time is of the essence. Preparation helps mitigate the chaos that ensues. You know beforehand what to do and what to take. What follows are some suggestions gleaned from living in this area and is only a subset of an overall survival plan.
Make a list and take images
Preparation begins by taking an inventory of your dwelling. Where are the valuables and other important materials to take? Walk through each room in house, thinking to yourself, “If I had just 10 minutes to pack, what would I take, if anything?”
Some rooms will be canvassed quickly. Others may take time and thought. Develop a list while performing this exercise. Once finalized, that list serves as a guide should you need to move quickly. You’ve already determined what should be taken, if anything. You won’t have to make decisions during the chaos that is likely to ensue on that fateful day. A woman recently interviewed said she was so worried about her family she couldn’t think what to take.
Take images while walking through the rooms. Those will be useful should you have to file a claim. I suggest storing these on your laptop, as that likely will be taken with you. (Store files off-site as well. Numerous cloud-based options are available). I don’t recommend a safe-deposit box in a bank. You may not be able to get timely access. Send copies to an out of state trusted relative or friend.
If you need to leave within minutes
With just minutes to spare, I suggest grabbing the laptop, some clothes, wallet or purse, and all your medication. A go bag is useful, as that is likely to contain hygiene materials and possibly a phone charger. Grab a couple bottles of water and some snacks. Don’t forget the dog and cat!
With a little bit more time, consider grabbing your passport and external hard drive. If extra cash is handy, grab that.
If you have an FRS radio or ham radio equipment, make sure they’re in the vehicle. (May be already.) It’s always good to have backup equipment, particularly for car-to-car communication.
Approximately 30 minutes to prepare
As I think about this, I imagine using the additional time to grab various receipts and files (you might be required to prove you lived at your own house in order to gain access); maybe even your last tax returns. Some of this could be on your laptop. If you hired a firm to prepare your taxes, that’s great. They should have copies as well. Again, the list you created is so helpful. Select the next level of documents or valuables to take. Consider, also, additional canned or bottled food and liquids. (Try to take only plastic bottles. You don’t want bottles breaking in all that chaos.)
I’ll grab a box of latex gloves and N95 masks if I have them. If you take multiple medications, make sure all are represented in your kit. I’ll also take a few more clothing items, particularly undergarments, and make sure I packed work boots or hiking shoes.
Because you don’t know where you’ll end up, some camping gear is in order. Grag a sleeping bag or pad, a pillow and a blanket. You may end up on the cold floor of a big stadium or someone’s couch.
If you have 1 hour to prepare
If I have an hour, I might retrieve papers kept in the safe. I’d make sure the first-aid kit is replenished. If you have room for more canned and bottled food items, pack some.
Gas up and back your vehicle into the driveway. It’ll make departure that much quicker.
If you have a motor home, you already have a great solution. Keep it stocked.
If you have more than 1 hour to prepare
Here the need will vary by household. What else is important to do or pack? You’ll have to decide.
With extra time, I would hook up a utility tailer if I had one or one of my smaller Jeeps to my Land Cruiser or Grand Cherokee. Then I’d have an extra vehicle that can double as a trailer. That would allow me to pack a lot more supplies. But it’s important to keep the list in mind. Pack only what’s really important. Leave the rest.
Fire-rated safe can protect valuables
A brief discussion about safes. While many good models exist, look for fire-rated models. The sturdy construction protects against tampering and fire, to an extent. Those are the operative words. I’ve seen models rated at around 1,400 F for 30 minutes or so.
Safes are also rated by strength. That is, how much of a fall they’ll take before busting open. Look for a model that can handle a drop of at least one story (about 10 feet). Remember that a safe stored on the first floor might go crashing onto the basement floor.
Whether a given safe will survive a severe fire is difficult to say. But some protection is better than none. If you can afford a more durable model, buy it.
Another issue with safes is remembering the combination during the chaos of an evacuation. Unless you open it regularly you might want to write it somewhere, but in a location only you can find along with those complicated instructions – 3 left 2 right, etc.
How prepared are you to evacuate on a short notice? Now is the time to make those plans. Walk your home, condo or apartment. Make a list (or lists), prioritizing the items to be taken based upon the amount of time you’ll have. Feel free to consider my suggestions, but adapt to your needs. And, of course, practice the escape plan designed for your household.
Don’t procrastinate. The next disaster could be around the corner. Good luck.
Post script
Your biggest risk, is reluctance to go! “Maybe nothing will happen and I will look foolish.” So, plan a fun destination. If it turns out nothing happened, you just had a great day at Disneyland.
I have 10 million people between me (at the beach) and escape to the desert. I need to leave even before an evacuation warning is given!
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Related Articles
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Prepare Now For Wildfire Evacuation
- Urban Disasters No Match For a Prepared 4-Wheeler
- Get Layered Before The Big One Hits
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73 KI6FHA
I hope to see you on the trails!
Tom Severin, President Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc.
4-Wheel Drive School
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