How do I prepare for a wildfire?
In a blink of an eye, a single spark turns into a rapidly spreading wildfire. Ripping through towns, houses, and ranches, leaving no time to prepare. As wildfire season begins, remember these tips and firebox items to keep on hand to help keep you and your family safe.
What should I have in my fire safety kit?
In times of disaster, it can be hard to remember and stick to a verbal plan. By typing out an emergency evacuation plan, printing it, and sticking it in your fire safety kit, you ensure your household understands what to do in a quick evacuation. Evacuation routes, addresses of local shelters, and important numbers are oftentimes a great resource to include as well! Keep in mind, needs change yearly, so update your box prior to the start of fire season.
Check off the items below to include in your disaster supply kit.
Water (one gallon per person per day)
Food (non-perishable)
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio for NOAA Weather Radio
Flashlight and batteries
First aid kit
Whistle
Dust mask (filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
Towels and garbage bags
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener
Local maps
Cell phone, chargers, and a backup battery
What should I do with my pets in a fire?
Rule number one, if it isn’t safe for you, it’s not safe for your pets either! When a wildfire is near but not an impending danger, keep pets indoors as much as you can, with doors and windows closed. Bring outdoor pets into a room with good ventilation, like a utility room, garage, or bathroom. In the event you need to evacuate, it’s best to have an evacuation plan to follow as mentioned above. When you have a plan, you and your family will know exactly where to go, with your animals and their belongings.
Disaster preparedness is essential for all animals, but especially for livestock because of their size and transportation needs. For large animals and livestock, evacuations will need to happen quickly and effectively. In some cases, you should practice and time how long it will take you to load and evacuate. This way, when the need arises, not only do you know when to hit the road, your animals will be familiar with the process. However, this may not always be possible, so we suggest searching for friends and family members to help!
Animal supply checklist for a fire:
Food
Water
Prescription medication
Identification information
Pet first aid kit
Cleaning and hygiene supplies
Since everyone’s needs are different, you may need to tweak your fire checklist and preparedness plan to best suit you, your family, and your animals. The Cowgirl 911 team is ready to serve the local community once again as a community bulletin for all evacuees and volunteers.
Please consider sharing your wildfire story with us via social media or email at info@cowgirl911.com! We would love to feature it on our page to help others learn the importance of fire safety.
