Fire...what we learned and what to do

The Lilac Fire.  Wow, are y'all still reeling?  I am.  We were lucky to be with good friends in San Marcos.  The kids had a fun day with a giant tree swing, trampoline, and bocce ball.  I hope all of you were able to find good places to go.

This is our second evacuation.  After the first one, we talked and made some plans for if it happened again.  But, when the fire broke out Thursday, I couldn't remember any of them.  I've had some time to think it over, and here's some good and bad things that we did was well as lessons learned and ideas for the future.

The Good:  (1) We had a designated place to go.  Actually we had several.  people are so kind.  It saved a lot of time knowing right away where we should evacuate to.  (2) I had signed up my cell phone to receive emergency alerts.  This helped me know when the evacuation order went out and where I could find more information.  (3) My car had gas.  I try to keep my car with 1/4 tank of fuel at all times.   (4) All the house windows were closed.  I had the presence of mind to check all the windows.  Homes often burn from the inside out when embers are sucked in through open windows , open garages, or old roof vents.  (5) I made sure my visiting teacher and ward leadership knew we were fine and told them where we were going. (6) Staying calm.  Even though I was pretty much freaking out inside, I knew that a calm, confident demeanor from me is what my kids needed.  I was in charge of 10 children--they all got their cues from me.  My 3-year-old got scared and started to cry, but because I was acting conifdent and calm, she only needed a small reassurance that we were going away from the fires and that we would be OK.  

The Bad:  (1) I did not have a written plan.  My brain turned off when I saw how close the fire was.  We were one of the first potentially in its path.  All I could think of to do was to get everyone out.  We left the house pretty quickly, but once I got to where I was going, I wished I had grabbed a few irreplaceable items.  (2) No food or clothes...I had meant to put together 72 hour kits for my family after the last fire, but it didn't happen.  Luckily I was able to hit Costco (Everyone got new Christmas PJs early!) and our hosts were more than generous, but I still felt like I should have been more self-reliant. (3) I did not check on those I visit teach right away.   I was so wrapped up in my own evacuation that I didn't even think about it.   I was able to touch base with a few of my sisters after we returned home.  (4) Power outages were not something I had even thought of...we should have planned what to do if we were able to return home with no power.

Things I learned:  (1) Texting is always best in an emergency.  Thank you to all of you who contacted us to make sure we were OK.  However, I found it challenging to try to answer phone calls while I was trying to coordinate things with my husband, find out where all the kids were, and get everyone all packed up and gone.  I was able to respond to those who texted eventually, but the phone calls were tricky to deal with (I did not even check my voicemail until 4 days later).   Also, as a result, I did not answer the reverse 911 evacuation call.  I suppose that's why they send texts and emails also.  (2) Have a wifi call app.  The friends we evacuated to live in a place where my carrier does not have cell service. We did have WiFi, so we connected to the WhatsApp which allows us to call or text over WiFi instead of the cell networks.  (3) Many forms of communication were helpful.  I was able to receive texts from Bishop and an email from Bro. LeBlanc.  

What I am going to do... (1) Make a list of all the things, in order from most important to least, that I would want to take.  These would include, photos, journals, and my 4 year-old's blanket.   Also include what items would be good to have--Bro. LeBlanc made a great list (Assemble documents, birth, SSN, insurance, medical, accounts, Gather cash and credit cards, Jewelry, pictures, heirlooms, Clothes for several days, include a jacket, Sleeping bags, Water, Food, Medications, Pets and pet food. Keep your cell phone charged, bring your chargers with you, Sturdy shoes or boots, Flashlights with spare batteries, Hygiene items)  I will put this on the inside of one of my cabinets so that I can have something to go off of when my brain dies.  (2) Make 72 hour kits!  This would have helped with food (we evacuated before we ate lunch and my kids were starving!) and if I would have had 72 hour kits complete with toiletries and changes of clothes, it would have helped on several levels (watch for an upcoming 72 hour kit assembly activity!).  Luckily I was able to hit Costco and Wal-Mart for some food and clothing, but getting things for 11 people adds up quickly!  (3) Prep my family for several types of disasters and what people's roles were in different scenarios.  After the Hurricanes hit Florida this summer, we talked about emergency preparation for Earthquake and an in -house fire.  We did not discuss a brush wildfire at that time, we also did not discuss protocol if my husband was not in the area (which he was not for this fire).   Prepare better for power outages--have working flashlights and ready-to eat food (72 hour kits again!).

Blessings Received:  Throughout the fire, I felt that Heavenly Father was watching out for us.  There was no loss of life.  The winds that were supposed to be so gusty on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, were not.  Fire Crews from all over (even Utah!) came to help and did a marvelous job.  I watched church members, friends, and homeschool groups, gather together via text, email, etc to help each other and provide support.  There was a true spirit of concern and love conveyed so sincerely.   I felt so much power of the human spirit, the watchcare of church leaders, and the Lord's love poured out in abundance.  I am glad for the opportunity to serve and help clean up our community and to take this experience and become more prepared for the next time.