BE INFORMED • Make a plan • Get a Kit
Be Informed
Register with Aware & Prepare (a community alert service to keep you informed on what matters most...used by law enforcement personnel and government agencies)
Register for REVERSE 911 to receive Aware and Prepare Emergency Notifications
Know basic first aid
Know emergency shelter locations for your area and evacuation routes
Make a Plan (and discuss/practice with your family)
Prepare Your Family for Wildfires
Preparing Babies, Toddlers, and Older Children
Evacuation plans for families with young children should include helping toddlers understand how to quickly respond in case of fire, and how adults can escape with babies. Prepare ahead of time by practicing your family’s fire escape plan and what to do to be safe when there is a wildfire nearby.
It is important to talk to toddlers and small children at a level that they understand and that does not frighten them. Here are a few resources that offer guides and tips for families with young children about fire safety and preparing for emergencies:
A Parent’s Guide to Fire Safety for Babies and Toddlers: The U.S. Fire Administration’s information site for parents and caregivers to help prevent fire death of young children.
Let’s Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies: Sesame Street Workshop campaign with tips, activities, and other easy tools to help the whole family prepare for emergencies.
Ready.gov Kids: FEMA’s site for older kids to prepare and plan for a disaster. Includes safety steps, tips, and games to help children learn what to do before, during, and after emergencies.
Smokey Kids: U.S. Forest Service’s interactive Smokey Bear site with games, information, and resources on how to help prevent forest fires and to protect the forest.
Preparing Seniors and Disabled Family Members
Seniors and people with disabilities also need special consideration when preparing for a disaster. Below are several resources that help individuals and families with special needs plan and prepare for events such as wildfire.
Special Populations Fire-Safe Checklist: U.S. Fire Administration’s fire safety guide for individuals with special needs to help them protect themselves and their home from fire.
Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors: The American Red Cross booklet designed by and for older adults to prepare them for a sudden emergency.
Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities: American Red Cross Disaster Services booklet with information and resources to help people with physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive disabilities design a personal disaster plan.
Ready.gov Personal Preparedness Guide: A resource site for individuals with disabilities that gives information on necessary supplies, evacuation procedures, and how to assist pets and service animals in the event of a disaster.
get a kit
Prepping a Go-Kit
Assemble your go-kit before a wildfire or other disaster occurs, and keep it easily accessible so you can take it with you when you need to evacuate. Plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time. Each person in your household should have a readily accessible go-kit and keep a spare for visitors. Backpacks work great for storing these items and are easy to carry when you leave. Keep it light enough to be able to carry on foot, if needed.
Go-Kit Checklist
• A sturdy pair of shoes (preferably boots) and a spare flashlight near your bed and handy in case of a sudden evacuation at night
• Long sleeve shirt, long pants, cotton (all should be cotton or wool, bright colors are best)
• Leather work gloves
• Full coverage goggles
• N95 mask
• Map marked with at least two evacuation routes (if possible)
• Prescription medication (ask your doctor for a multi-day emergency supply, rotate annually)
• Water bottle
• A small supply of energy food
• Spare battery and charger for cell phone
• Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses
• An extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler’s checks
• First aid kit (compact)
• Headlamp or Flashlight
• Battery-powered radio
• Spare batteries for flashlights, headlamp, and radio
• Sanitation supplies (toilet paper, feminine hygiene, baby wipes/diapers, etc.)
• Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
• Pet supplies: carriers for each pet, leashes, food and water
Things to Take if Time Allows
• Easily carried valuables
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person
• Family photos and other small, irreplaceable items
• Personal computer information on hard drives and disks (off-site or cloud/online backup is best)
Spare chargers for cell phones, laptops, etc.
THE ABCS OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Whether you have ever had to use one or (hopefully) not, a fire extinguisher is a must have for all homes (along with smoke and carbon monoxide [Co2] detectors). Actually, at a minimum, you should have one on every floor, particularly in the kitchen, laundry area, and garage. What to buy? Here’s a brief guide.
All fire extinguishers (about $20–80 for home models) come with labels denoting which type of fire they are designed for. Those for Class A fires (ordinary combustibles like paper, wood, textiles, and plastics) contain pressurized water; those for Class B fires (flammable liquids like gasoline, oil, kitchen grease, paint, and alcohol); and Class C fires (electrical) contain carbon dioxide. Using the wrong extinguisher can make things worse—spraying water on an electrical fire, for instance, can cause an electrical shock to the user. Multipurpose extinguishers (labeled ABC) contain dry chemicals that combat all types of home fires and are good options for most areas—though the best choice for the kitchen is one labeled BC. Newer models also have pictures showing the type of fire they will extinguish.
Fire extinguishers come with numbers representing their fire-fighting capacity. A higher number indicates that the extinguisher will put out a bigger fire before running out—but also means that it is bigger and heavier, and so may be harder to lift (home models weight 5–20 pounds). The C models have no number rating.
The extinguisher should have a label from one of the nationally recognized testing laboratories, showing that it meets safety and performance standards. These include UL (Underwriters Laboratories), ETL (from Intertek), CSA (formerly the Canadian Standards Association), and FM (Factory Mutual).
Familiarize yourself with how to use your fire extinguishers before that might be necessary. Follow all maintenance instructions provided by the manufacturer, including regularly checking that they are properly pressurized.
Fire extinguishers are either rechargeable or for single use. They don’t come with expiration dates, but it is recognized that you replace unused, non-rechargeable ones twelve years after the date of manufacture. Rechargeable models should be regularly serviced or replaced if parts are damaged or if there is a slow leak.
To use, think PASS:
Pull (pull the pin to unlock the nozzle)
Aim (point the nuzzle at the base of the fire)
Squeeze (squeeze the handle slowly and evenly)
Sweep (from side to side)
Aerosol fire extinguishers—which look like big cans of bug spray—are easier to store and use, but they don’t rate highly in expert testing and are not a substitute for regular extinguishers.
CAUTION
Use a fire extinguisher only if the fire is small enough to contain, making sure there is a safe fire exit at your back, should the fire start to get out of control. Otherwise, leave immediately and call 911. If you use an extinguisher, be sure the fire is completely out.