If fire threatens your house and property, please be prepared to evacuate if needed.
As the recent Marshall fire demonstrates yet again, you could have 20 minutes or less to evacuate. Work out and document a plan with your family while you are calm. Perhaps the hardest part is considering what is most important of all your possessions and prioritizing what you can pack in a few moments.
If you feel endangered, don’t wait for an official evacuation notice. Just pack up and go. Remember that smoke inhalation can be dangerous and deadly, so even if there are not visible flames nearby, you may want to leave.
Create a plan to stay in communications with loved ones. Designate an out of area friend to be your family’s communication coordinator and supply phone numbers to all. If the local systems get overwhelmed or your cell phone battery dies quickly, you can still be in touch.
Consider that your family could be dispersed at school, office, or out of town. So, plan how you will coordinate and evacuate everyone wherever they are.
Remember the basics of medicines, water, chargers for cell phones, laptops, snacks, change of clothes. In Colorado, it never hurts to pack warmer jackets, hats, and gloves.
Try to think ahead about what you most value of your possessions and what is feasible to transport with you. These are difficult discussions, but not something to debate last minute.
Don’t forget to have a plan for your pets. Evacuate smaller animals with you along with their food. Often in Colorado, others step in to rescue horses and transport them to safer locations. Register and tag your pets for easier follow-up.
Prepare a grab and go box for emergencies. Include non-perishable snacks, flashlight, change of clothes for all your family, computer back up files, credit card and bank numbers, address book with essential contacts, copies of prescriptions and driver’s licenses, bottled water, toys and books for kids, reading materials for adults.
Here is a website with evacuation planning suggestions: https://www.livingwithfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Evacuation-Checklist-2020-one-page.pdf
You can back up your key documents on the cloud, a jump drive you take with you or store in a safety box.
If you have children, practice just like a fire drill how to evacuate so they too will be as prepared as possible. Try to take a few toys, lovies, diapers, formula and the essentials your kids depend on.
If possible, drive all your vehicles and haul out trailers when you evacuate. If you have a RV, camper trailer, or tent, they can be your temporary home. Hook up, pack up and get out ASAP. If you anticipate a possible wildfire, keep your vehicles gassed up and ready to roll.
Keep some cash on hand designated for evacuation because ATM’s can get overwhelmed.
Think about possible destinations if you need to evacuate. For small fires, you might deploy to a nearby friend or family. But larger situations can mean an entire area has to evacuate all at the same time which clogs the roads and makes access to hotels, restaurants, and gas challenging.
You will receive a reverse 911 notification when it is safe to return home (if you signed up.)
Staying Informed about Local Fire Status. One of the best sources to stay informed about fire status is the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Face Page that posts updates on fires and related road closures. If a fire is significant, Incident Command posts daily updates tell you the number of acres contained, how many responders are on site, and the overall status including next day plans.
There’s always more to learn about fire preparedness. Please stay alert and informed. Thanks to all of our first responders and your commitment to protecting our community. And thanks to all the experts who contributed to this series.
By KAYE SULLIVAN – Special to the Herald Times
