Once again, we in California are going through extreme fires, and fire danger, right now due to high winds (the "Santa Anas," which are a normal part of our annual weather cycle), and extremely low humidity.

Although all of the official, online, maps and hazard advisories say that we (in this house) are safe, it is a bit hard to believe because of the high amount of smoke in the air right now which is causing concern about breathing, and also--once again--I can't see the mountains, which are right "in front of us," to the very near north.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has posted a reminder to everyone of the priority list in the event of evacuation. I have never seen this list before, and it is absolutely better than the list I have carried in my brain since I was growing up in the southwest San Fernando Valley (I grew up with threatening wildfires, but not nearly so many as we have now).

I think everyone ought to print this off, because--in case of flood, or storm, or fire--THESE are the priorities:

THE SIX "P's":

1) People and pets (plus: pet food and water dishes)

2) Papers, phone numbers, and important documents. (Includes birth certificates, insurance papers, titles to everything, school records, licenses, passports, wills and Powers of Attorney, etc.)

3) Prescriptions, supplements, and eyeglasses

4) Pictures and photos, and irreplaceable memorabilia (for every member of your family), plus serious jewelry

5) Plastic (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash

6) Personal computer (hard drives and flash drives)

If you print this off (as many copies as are necessary for your family), and put them in the logical places you would go to if you had to suddenly evacuate, then you will be in a much better position than would otherwise be the case.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2019 11:25PM by Tevai.

Query: Has Tevai ever made an on-topic post?

Aloysius Wrote:
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> Query: Has Tevai ever made an on-topic post?

Occasionally, usually when I don't know something factual, or when I don't understand something--though my queries have lessened in recent years.

When I, a nevermo, first "arrived" here on RfM (as the result of a Google search, for a Mormon-related fact I needed at that moment for a writing project which was underway), I found this amazing group of people who were often discussing REALLY interesting things--and so I stuck around....and sixteen years plus since, here I am.

I know what I don't know, and when I don't know something, I ask.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2019 03:19AM by Tevai.

Goodness, lady, remember your:

Priorities!

caffiend Wrote:
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> Goodness, lady, remember your:
>
> Priorities!

:D

I'd like to add one thing.

Keys

Keep spare car keys and house keys on a hook by the door. In a fire you may minutes to leave. Searching for car keys can delay your evacuation and lead to disaster.

Heartless Wrote:
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> I'd like to add one thing.
>
> Keys
>
> Keep spare car keys and house keys on a hook by
> the door. In a fire you may minutes to leave.
> Searching for car keys can delay your evacuation
> and lead to disaster.

You are absolutely right!!

A superb addition to the list, Heartless....Thank you!!

Can I also add the suggestion to keep your vehicle's gas tank topped up? During the wildfire evacuation of Fort McMurray a couple of years ago, there were people who had less than half full tanks who ran out of gas as they headed south and were forced to abandon their vehicles along the highway when they ran out.

In a heavy-duty earthquake, the roads will be shambles and even if your abode is also in shambles, it may well be all you have. So consideration should also be given to what you keep on hand.

If water is cut off, a supply of drinking water. People with more storage space might want to consider having enough water on hand to use to flush toilets.

If electricity is out, and you don't have a generator, that freezer full of chicken pot pies isn't going to do you much good without a working microwave!


The fun one: arms & munitions. How big a mortar do you need?

I have a defensible zone with no trees and grass cut very short. I'm not evacuating.

During the Thomas Fire we stayed and fought, and joked that if things got hopeless, we'd set up a table and two chairs with a bottle of wine in the middle of a plowed field and just watch it go down.

Practically, though, we threw our Bug Out Bags (clothes,extra shoes, food) and laptops along with all my camera gear and CF/SD cards with the "strong box" of passports, etc.; it didn't occur to me that a couple days later, when the wind and fire was supposed to howl again (and we got ready to possibly leave), to put all my cash-business money in with the Bug Out Bag. That was stupid.

Chicken N. Backpacks Wrote:
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> ....it didn't occur
> to me that a couple days later, when the wind and
> fire was supposed to howl again (and we got ready
> to possibly leave), to put all my cash-business
> money in with the Bug Out Bag. That was stupid.

An excellent example of why a written list is important.

When there is a crisis (such as a wildfire), and when an evacuation order is given, our bodies go into "fight or flight" mode--which means that all of our physiological systems (including our brains) are being powered by a sudden upsurge of adrenaline (etc.)....with the concomitant reality that we are NOT "thinking correctly." We CANNOT "think correctly," because all of our relevant body systems have been overridden by "Get out!, Get out NOW!" imperatives.

A written list, however (which uses different brain circuitry), does (in effect) "override" the "fight or flight" physiological state, at least to an extent significant enough to allow us to operate at nearish peak capacity.

That list DOES remember the important things we have suddenly lost track of, the things we cannot (ourselves) connect with in our own brains at that time. (And P.S.: Please, and at some length, think about this list and add to it whatever is appropriate for you and your loved ones. This list from the Los Angeles County Fire Department is meant to be general enough for public use....which potentially means that, on a personal and particular family level, there may be other highly important items which you need to add in by hand.)

Physiologically, and to a significant extent, in these kinds of emergencies we need the ability to go into a semi-rote brain state, where we can read what the list says, and then (as if we were following orders) do what the list says--a period of time when we don't have to think each decision out by itself, and when can put future consequences on "automatic."

Many thanks to Heartless, lookingin, elderolddog, and Chicken N. Backpacks for adding so much of real importance to this thread.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2019 02:40PM by Tevai.

I'll grab my wallet and run. They didn't get any time for more when Paradise went up in flames.