Be a hero and help your family plan and practice their escape from a wildfire
" emphasizes the importance of fire escape planning, whether from a home fire or evacuating during a wildfire. NFPA and its partners have some excellent resources to help you reach hero status.
Keep in mind, a hero isn't just someone who is courageous and performs good deeds, but also takes small actions that help keep themselves and those around them safe from fire.
Plan it
The first step is working with your household to develop a plan for home. IAFC's Ready, Set, Go! Program's "Your Personal Wildland Fire Action Guide" provides handy checklists that will walk you through creating a family disaster plan, building emergency kits, identifying where to get wildfire updates from, and knowing when to evacuate.
Does your household include young children, seniors, or individuals with disabilities? These populations may need special consideration when preparing for an event such as a wildfire. The following can help in the planning process:
- NFPA's People with disabilities page provides a planning guide, planning checklist, and safety tip sheets
- CAL FIRE's Ready for Wildfire website has compiled a list of resources that offer tips on talking with toddlers and young children and preparing seniors
After building a plan for the human members of your household, it's time to look at the rest of the family. Check out NFPA's TakeAction campaign for the following resources:
Practice it
Once your plan is complete it is time to practice it. Go over different scenarios such as when people are at work and others are at home, set up drills for day and night time. Make sure everyone knows where to meet and have a communication plan in place.
For more resources on steps you can take around your home, visit the Fire Prevention Week website for more information.
Sign up for Fire Break Newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news and information on key wildfire issues. You can also follow me on twitter @meganfitz34 more wildfire related topics.
