With wildfires raging in California and almost all of Los Alamos and parts of Santa Fe considered to be in a wildfire hazard zone, I thought I would pass along an article about safeguarding critical documents and valuable items in the event of an evacuation. Having critical documents stored off premise, like in a safety deposit box at the bank, or stored in the cloud can be a good step in protection. But reviewing this check list may alert you to items you may not think about when under pressure to mobilize and evacuate. I started working at The Jemez Agency soon after the Cerro Grande fire destroyed hundreds of homes back in 2000. And we were among those that were told to evacuate Los Alamos when Los Conchas came calling. I urge you to take a minute and review this document and think about a plan if the unthinkable were to happen again.
It’s important to prepare, heed evacuation warnings and remember the six P’s of evacuating – a checklist list of the necessities you should pack or take with you when you are evacuating from a fire.
1. People and Pets
You should pick a meeting point for your family members to join each other after evacuating that is safe and away from the high-risk zones. You should also plan your escape routes and practice them so your family knows where to go.
Have a plan for safely evacuating your pets, who may be frightened.
You can also choose someone who lives outside of the at-risk area that your family can check in with in case you get separated or some phones no longer work.
2. Papers, phone numbers and important documents
Papers and important documents could get damaged in wildfires and other natural disasters. You should take things like IDs, passports, insurance cards and Social Security cards with you. You may also want to take a list of important numbers with you — if your phone dies, you can’t access your contact list.
These tips apply to all disasters during which your important documents might get destroyed, like a hurricane.
3. Prescriptions
Have your full, current supply of prescriptions packed in case you can’t get to a pharmacy. You may also want to take other health supplies like vitamins, eyeglasses and extra contacts.
4. Photos and personal items
Especially in disasters like the Southern California wildfires, where entire homes can be destroyed, you should take family photos and small mementos that you wouldn’t want to lose and that are irreplaceable to you.
You will also want room for other personal items like toiletries and even snacks and water. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends packing enough water and food for two to three days.
5. Personal computer and hard drives
If your work or personal documents are digital, bring the hard drives or laptop computers they are on. Computers can get destroyed in fires or other storms like hurricanes.
6. Plastics – credit cards, ATM cards, cash
Lastly, take your credit and debit cards and cash. In many cases, people don’t know when they will be able to return home. With power outages, even ATMs may shut down, so it is important to have cash and other forms of payment when you leave home.
It is really sad to see all of the destruction going on in California. But let’s not forget, there is a risk where we live as well. Being prepared for the unexpected is a good first step.
