8 Questions to Help Prepare Your Wildfire Evacuation Plan
The thought of evacuating from a wildfire can be overwhelming and scary, especially if you have not gone through it before. There seems to be a million things to consider regarding your home, belongings, pets, food, car, etc. To ease you into begin thinking about various aspects of evacuation, the simple “yes or no” questions below will help get the wheels turning in your mind about what you need to plan for and arrange.
For moral support or team-building, you can even call a family meeting and read these questions aloud so everyone in your household can participate in answering and drafting a plan together.
Remember, wildfire season is between May and October, and if you live near fire-prone areas, it is important to have an evacuation plan ready and memorized at all times.
The Questions (Source: Readyforwildfire.org)
Do you have a designated emergency meeting location outside the fire area? (Y/N)
Do you have several different escape routes from your home? (Y/N)
Do you have an evacuation plan for pets/large animals? (Y/N)
Do you have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it? (Y/N)
Do you have an out-of-area friend/relative as a point of contact to act as a single source of communication among family members in case of separation? (Y/N)
Do you have an emergency supply kit for each person? (Y/N)
Do you know where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are located and know how to safely shut them down in an emergency? (Y/N)
Do you have a list of emergency contact numbers in your phone/emergency supply kit? (Y/N)
For all the No’s you answered, we encourage you to start preparing so you can change your answer to a Yes!