EP/ Wildfire season in SoCal.

[ColbertWatcher]

If you're in the area you might have heard the sirens all morning!

Help me post advice and info for people in the area.

http://lafd.blogspot.com/2008/10/fire-weather-forecast-for-los-angeles.html">LAFD fire forecast

http://lafd.blogspot.com/2008/10/city-of-los-angeles-evacuation-map-for.html">LAFD info page for Marek fire

Also, don't forget the pets!

http://www.laanimalservices.org/info_prepemergency.htm">Emergency Preparedness from LA Animal services

[ColbertWatcher]

1. See? This is why DU should have a forum especially for EP.

I have been smelling the fire all day along with hearing the sirens all day.

So, I thought I'd post something on the "EP" forum.

And look at all the responses.

[silverweb]

2. No fair -- I just logged in.

Fire's a different kind of emergency because of mandatory evacuations and all that.

Having a stash of canned goods, etc, isn't much help when you have to flee the area and go to shelter arranged by someone else.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. This fire is not world-wide. It can be used to as a warning to others.

In fact, everyone, really, even the people who are in Southern California, but not in the danger zone.

Also, every emergency is an opportunity to learn new things.

Who's to say this fire won't bring new info?

[silverweb]

5. I absolutely agree about opportunities to learn.

It's just that, if I were in an area that might even remotely be at risk (and that has happened), I wouldnt be looking for on-line EP information.

I'd be glued to the news for updates and evactuation warnings, with a satchel with a change of clothes and toiletries, a box of irreplaceables, and my cats ready to be put in their carriers.

For the sake of an EP learning exercise, what else should be on hand and/or be done?

[ColbertWatcher]

8. "what else should be on hand and/or be done?"

The one thing I've learned is that people with animals will need to know where they can go, where the animals can be "housed" (for lack of a better word).

For instance, in Southern California there are many communities where residents have horses. Where the horses can go all depends on where the fire is and what roads are still open.

A place to go for all the information is important--less time spent linking, more time packing, fleeing.

The official sites might be overloaded due to traffic, so screengrabs, and mirror sites are vital.

[silverweb]

10. Excellent points.

Without reinventing the wheel or duplicating a lot of other people's efforts on other sites, it would be worthwhile to list other EP-type sites in one thread and extract key information.

[ColbertWatcher]

11. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout! n/t

[Warpy]

4. Nope, best thing is to have the puter case open so you can grab

the HD, have photos and things like passports in a box, and have the pet carriers out. Fire's different because you can't fiddle around and do things, you often have just minutes to grab and run. There's no poking around afterward for stuff because most of it doesn't survive.

[silverweb]

6. That's pretty much my feeling.

See my reply to ColbertWatcher, above.

As he correctly points out, though, there are alway opportunities to learn.

What about people who don't need to evacuate, but who may lose power and other services? I guess that puts us back within the framework of regular EP.

[akwapez]

7. It does highlight the need to be prepared.

Everyone should have a "bug out bag". Keep emergency essentials in an easy to grab bag. Items such as:

Bottled Water
Energy Bars
Tuna Kits or MREs
1-2 changes of clothes
Flashlight
Lighter/matches
Candle
First Aid Kit
Blanket
Photos of loved ones (in case anyone is missing)

[silverweb]

9. Bug-out Bag ...

I love it! :D

I'll have to go look in the Red Cross Emergency Backpack that my son gave me a couple of years ago to see how it compares.

While I know right where it is in case of need, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't looked in it for ages and only vaguely remember what it contains. :blush:

Obviously, regularly inspecting and updating EP supplies on hand is very important, too, and should be on a fixed schedule of some sort.

[ColbertWatcher]

12. FYI: Pictures from LA Times (link inside)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fire12-pg,0,6437352.photogallery?index=39

That is the slideshow, starting with a horsie!

[silverweb]

13. Wow. Okay, there's a question.

How/where do animal owners find out the designated shelter spot to take their animals during any given event?

Also, I asked my son for input and he emailed me this recommendation on a fly-by:

Regarding fires, here's what I'd say -- have all important documents consolidated and ready to grab on your way out the door. The alternative is to have all of these documents scanned and on a hard drive, or perhaps emailed to yourself.

These would include insurance papers, citizenship papers, diplomas, birth certificates, etc, anything that you'll need to prove who you are, claim benefits, and/or is hard to replace.

I like the part about emailing scanned documents to yourself as a backup. That's how I store some things already, in an encrypted _Hushmail_ account, and I keep the originals in a small strongbox that would be part of the "bug-out bag" (nod to akwapez for that great term!)

Time to gather everything that's not already scanned and complete that task.

[ColbertWatcher]

14. I like making electronic versions of everything, but ...

... the originals have to be kept someplace safe. Normally, I'd recommend a safe deposit box, but banks aren't very trust-worthy these days now, are they!?

LOL!

I think the e-documents should not be transmitted whatsoever. Keeping them on a hard drive or even a floppy should be good enough as long as they are not in the same place as the originals.

As far as the horses go, it is my understanding that a venue is chosen as soon as word gets out that a fire has started or is threatening an area. What they do is they choose a place far enough away to be safe, but close enough to get to.

In Los Angeles County, I know of two places that are used: the fairgrounds (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fairplex+Exposition+Complex&sll=34.097164,-117.757473&sspn=0.07136,0.104198&ie=UTF8&ll=34.088706,-117.767301&spn=0.017842,0.02605&t=k&z=15) and Pierce College (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Pierce+College,+Los+Angeles,+Los+Angeles,+California,+United+States&sll=34.088706,-117.767301&sspn=0.017842,0.02605&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FYqXCQIdDpbu-A&ll=34.183512,-118.581748&spn=0.017822,0.02605&t=k&z=15).

There are other smaller places, but those are the two big ones I can think of right off the top of my head.

Usually, the announcement is made on TV and radio, but I am sure that people with horses will call each other as well.

I had a friend who owned a horse and she told me how complicated it can get to transport them--but, that's for another thread!

[ColbertWatcher]

15. New, detailed advice for fire preparedness (link inside)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4472691&mesg_id=4477930