The Right Tool for the Job....

We had some fun at our house.....

 

Emergency Evacuation List

I'm back at it with the emergency prepper stuff for fire.  I attended a meeting by the officials from Colorado Springs (BEFORE the Black Forest fire) about the urban interface in Helena.

Scared the crap outta me.

It isn't if... it is when.  The good news was... my house didn't burn in the scenario.  But let's be real.  Our day is coming.

So I am back to working a plan.  It is my duty to head up the evacuation.  Hot's job is such that he won't be available to help and he will need the peace of mind knowing we have a plan and are getting out.

I believe in a written plan.  Because if I don't have a list I run around like a chicken....  it is just the way I am.  So here goes... draft 1:

Before the fire:
make sure insurance coverage is adequate for replacement values
decide where you will go if you evacuate (me... I'm taking the kids and going to a hotel with a pool and HGTV)

2 minutes:
kids
dog
purse/wallet
cell phone

5 minutes (above plus):
cats (in carrier... carrier is currently on top of the upright freezer in the garage)
portable hard drive
personal document envelope/file box*
household binder**
cell phone charger
scanner/batteries
cash in house (there isn't much but....)

20 minutes (above plus):
comfort packs***
plug in old school telephone (located in desk hutch)
laptop/charger
turn on sprinklers
put evacuation sign on the door

30 minutes (above plus):
jewelry
safe contents
binoculars (2 pairs)
photo album box (hoping to get all of these scanned)
spare car keys

*personal documents envelope/file box may include:
phone/contact emergency list
medications/allergies list
copy of drivers license
passports
ss cards (or copies)
birth certificates
marriage certificates
vaccination records
pet records
financial account info
wallet content copies
recent utility bill (for proof of residency)
insurance policies
household inventory (include photos/serial numbers/etc)
flash drive backups

Ok, wait, funny story..... I was trying to think about the household inventory and the best way to manage it and I remembered the last time we evacuated.... I ran around with my camera on video documenting all the tools (and serial numbers) in the garage.  So instead of a household inventory I'm going to create a video inventory and keep a copy on a flashdrive and keep it somewhere else... maybe my office.

**household binder may include:
Ok... well MY household binder has contacts/emergency info etc and a lot of the things listed above for the file box... it has my current bills so I can fend off boredom after the adrenaline wears off by paying bills. Ok, wait, I confess....it also includes cleaning schedules and books I want to read.  Hmmm.  Oh... but in the back pocket are the pages I will put on the (2) doors when we evacuate.  There are mixed opinions about doing this... if you put a big note on your door saying you have evacuated that might be an invitation to looters... so think about this one carefully.  Our neighborhood is pretty sparse and we don't have much anyone would want to steal so I go with the sign.  It is printed on nice yellow cardstock and the tape is in the cupboard just above where it lives.

We have evacuated.
Contact Us
(Lists our various phone numbers)


***comfort packs:
One of the things I've learned is... once the adrenaline wears off you are bored.  So our comfort packs have stuff to do and things to make us happy.  And, yes, even if there is a wildfire, Target will still be open... you can buy most of this stuff later so don't stay in harm's way packing it up.

kindle/charger
ipod/charger
books/magazines
cards
stuffed animals/favorite blankets
small toys
swimsuits
change of clothes
personal care items

Other things to plug into the list if needed:
medications
eyeglasses
um... what else can you guys think of?