Possible fire evacuation
Posted by FawnSwanSkin@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 16 comments
I'm not nearly as prepared as many in the sub, but I have a small contingency of food and water amongst some other things. We just got placed in a fire evacuation warning, and could have forced at any time within the next couple days. I just wanted to say how much more comfortable it is, knowing I have a little bit of a cushion in case it happens
alittlebitofmystuff@reddit
I suggest that you put a v-mail message on your cell phone that tells friends and family where you are going. Cell towers go down, batteries die, etc. But the out going message will still work even if your phones are down. We have an emergency plan in place with family in a different state so everyone can contact them if I am out of touch and vice versa.
davidm2232@reddit
Though at that point you should pre-inform your family to actually listen to the voice message. I don't think I've listed to a voicemail greeting in 10 years or more unless it is for a business. As soon as it stops ringing, I hang up and send a text
4r4nd0mninj4@reddit
I keep a Supergum Sapphire gas mask in my vehicle in case of wildfires.
AvatarOR@reddit
Lived through a wildfire during the peak of Covid. Took in a family with no extra clothes and no documents as there was no time. All of their documents burned. No warnings on TV or radio. It was all police and neighbors getting folks out. In the immediate aftermath you need to rely on your preparations, family, friends, neighbors and the kindness of random strangers. FEMA will show up eventually.
Bags packed with clothes. Car fully gassed and parked backed in. Evacuation routes planned. Documents in a fire proof box or in your bags. Cash. Insurance even if you live in an apartment. If you can see the flames and/or smoke, you will need to decide if one person stays up all night monitoring the fire. OR just get out of town and spend a few nights in a hotel and sleep calmly.
Nota_Fraid@reddit
Get what you can & get out of there..A big fire & reflective heat from a forest fire or other can reach 1,000° from 100 feet away... You don't want to be anywhere near they
biznessmen@reddit
I had to evacuate for a wildfire once with about 20 min notice. The wife grabbed all irreplaceable photographs in items and shove them in each of our cars. I ran around the house and videotaped/photographed everything I could for insurance purposes. I'm sure there's a lot things you can do better but with the amount of time we had I feel like that was okay.
vlad1492@reddit
Time for a road trip. Leave early and avoid the rush.
By the time you know for sure it is time to go, it can be too late.
DwarvenRedshirt@reddit
Have it in your car ready to go. Also get copies of your important documents/papers. Check your routes out of the area, and depending on the population, look for alternate routes. I was in an area under threat years back in California where there were 2 major freeways in the area, but it was total gridlock with the number of people trying to get out.
Depending on how much of a risk your area is in (and how soundly you sleep), set an alarm to wake you every couple hours or more at night so you can do a quick look around. If the winds pick up, it can be in your yard in no time from several miles away.
FawnSwanSkin@reddit (OP)
All my documents and important things are boxed and ready to go. Unfortunately there's only one way out of town, the other 2 roads are closed due to the fire. I do know some dirt/fire roads we could take if shtf but thankfully the town has evacuated a few times in its history so they have protocols on how to do it quickly. They've also only let locals come up so we won't be dealing with tourists. I'm also SoCal based
Jr_dbrtn@reddit
Do you have all those documents digital stored in a cloud? In case you loose that box. Good luck! Stay safe. Make sure you have chargers and power banks to keep your phone charged
FawnSwanSkin@reddit (OP)
I honestly don't know how I'd go about putting stuff like SS card or birth certificate to digital. Just like scan it? Yeah got all my battery banks charged up and put in a box along with my solar panels and backpacking/camping gear
Aggravating_Act0417@reddit
Take a pic and text to someone? Email them to yourself? Upload to Google photos or some other photo storage online?
There are more secure methods, but if you are in a rush, these may be a good easy bet.
FawnSwanSkin@reddit (OP)
Yeah wow... I feel pretty dumb rn with such an obvious answer... lol
CasualJamesIV@reddit
Sometimes it just takes an outside observer to see little things that are often overlooked. That's my favorite aspect of this group
DwarvenRedshirt@reddit
You're in a better place than a lot of people then. I still remember the dashcam videos of people having to drive down roads surrounded by fire. Not a situation you want to be in.
FawnSwanSkin@reddit (OP)
Oh man I've see some of those videos too and they're fucking terrifying. Where I live there are three roads out from the west, west southwest, and north northeast and the fire is coming from the southwest. The towns about 20 miles across and I'm on the eastern side close to the open road (north north east). There have been mandatory evacuations for the towns on one of the roads but the way the topography is makes it difficult for the fire to get this way. Thankfully the authorities will be able to know in advance if it's coming this way and give us ample warning. The National Guard has been sent to some of the towns to discourage any looters and allow the police to help coordinate with the fire dept.