CREATE AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN
When fire happens, it happens quickly. Even with a warning of spreading wildfires, you may only have minutes to gather your belongings and get pets and loved ones to safety. Prepare and practice your response ahead of time. Start by creating a grab bag for each member of the household, including pets. In addition, if you live in an area with few roads, ensure you have escape options, and practice them so everyone is informed. Choe emphasized the importance of having a plan, saying, “Plans fall apart when people start improvising in emergency situations. A go bag with 3 days of medications, copies of IDs, an insurance packet, and a phone charger is under 15lbs and will give you back hours of your life. Trim your communication tree to three contacts outside of your immediate area and write it down on paper. Then store electronically. Cell service can be interrupted with little notice. Lastly, it’s better to have a reunification plan with a physical location at least 5 miles away than just “meet at the mall.” Have your family treat this preparation like a 1-hour tabletop exercise annually. It will enable you to make quicker decisions under pressure.”
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