Ready or not, here it is. We had warm Santa Anna winds earlier this week and along with that came fire warnings. I was always told that October is the biggest fire month. With warm days and dry grass, it usually is not a matter of if, but when and where the next fire will erupt. And it doesn't happen just in October. We have been evacuated in May and December. Two years ago, I believe the statistic was that 97% of our ward was evacuated in the Lilac Fire. It can be pretty scary.
So, now is the time to be prepared. There are a lot of things you could do, but I'll give just a few ideas that you can do quickly. You can refer to this post, ( http://byesboos.blogspot.
(1) Talk about wildfire as a family. Establish a meeting place if evacuation takes place and phone lines are down. Know where you will evacuate to. Designate a friend or family member within a reasonable distance to stay overnight with if needed. Talk to them about your plan. If you plan to stay at a hotel, know ahead of time where you will go. Review "worst case scenario" situations and how your family will deal with them.
(2) Gather vital records and insurance documents in an easy to grab and go manner. Some prepare emergency binders, some have a portable file box that is easy to take quickly.
(3) Make a list of important items you need to take if you are evacuated. Put the most important items on the top and go down the list from there. You may have 10 minutes, and you may have an hour to evacuate. Your brain will turn off in an emergency, a list helps to make sure you don't forget and it gives clarity and focus. Ideas are medications, diapers and baby food, your 4 year old's blanket he will not sleep without, vital documents, etc. Keep this list somewhere very easy to find, like taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet.
(4) Prepare your yard. San Diego Fire requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures. Keep weeds, grasses, etc mowed down.
(5) Prepare grab and go kits. 72 hour kits, complete with Pajamas and a change of clothes are great. At least have a bag ready with food, water, and maybe a game or other time-passing item. A car kit with food and water is a good idea too. If you have mice around, like I do, consider getting cans of food with easy open tops. Don't forget plastic silverware. I promise if you are stuck in traffic, a cold can of soup will taste wonderful.
(6) Store sentimental items in plastic bins. Most of our homes are equipped with fire sprinklers, so we may come home to water as well as fire damage. The water may save our homes, and plastic bins may save our stuff.
(7) Close the windows. Most homes burn from the inside out as embers are sucked into the house through open windows or roof vents. San Diego building codes changed after the 08 fires to prevent attic vents from sucking in embers (make sure you get the newer vents if you plan on reroofing). You cannot always control the vents, but you can control your windows.
(8) In the event of evacuation, tell your ministering sisters/brothers where you are going. Also check in on those you minister to. If you know the fire is close to a certain member, and you do not minister to them, please DO NOT call them. Texting is OK, but they are probably trying to evacuate and getting phone calls from half the ward is distracting and hinders what they need to get done (ask me how I know...). They will appreciate your texts and feel your love.
(9) Register your cell phone with the local reverse 911 service. This provides information you want to know...like when it is time to leave and when you can go back home.
Of course, there is always more, but I CHALLENGE YOU to choose at least 3 things to do now to be prepared when fire comes.
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