Preparedness, Fires and YOU!

This is a complete copy-n-paste from FEMA, but it is great information on how to reduce your chances of your house going up in flames!  And this is not just for wild-fire prone areas.  Any house should take these measures, as you never know where a fire will occur next!

 

Protecting your Home during a Wildfire

Wildfires can spread rapidly, with little-to-no warning, often going unnoticed until it is too late. These wildfires, commonly started by human error, quickly ignite and burn through tinder-dry bushes and trees, and unfortunately spread to nearby homes as well.

If you live in a fire-prone area there are various ways that you can help reduce the chance for severe damage to your home and property, by designing and landscaping your home with wildfire safety in mind; selecting materials and plants that can help contain a fire rather than fuel it.

For home design and construction:

·        Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling.

·        Treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking, or trim with fire-retardant chemicals evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory.

·        Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees around your property such as hardwoods, and avoid more flammable pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees.

For home maintenance and safety:

·        Regularly clean your roof and gutters to remove any debris;

·        Install a fire alarm on every floor in your home and test monthly;

·        Have a garden hose long enough to reach your home and any other structures on the property;

·        Ask the power company to remove any branches that are near or on the power lines; and

·        Mow your grass regularly.

A great resource for proper home and property fire prevention planning is www.firewise.org. The site contains a variety of fire safety and prevention  information designed for residents, property owners, fire departments, community planners, builders, public policy officials, water authorities and architects. To learn about Firewise’s upcoming Wildfire Education conference click here.

Should you be directed to evacuate your home due to a wildfire, follow the instructions of local officials, and be sure to take your battery operated radio, disaster preparedness kit and lock the door behind you when evacuating. If you have time to prepare the home before leaving, visit the U.S. Fire Administration website for additional tips.

There's no place like home

Dorothy had to fly, via Whirl Wind Air, I might add, all the way to Oz to realize this.  However, as the Back To School sales pop up everywhere and the once wide-open parking lots begin to fill, we realize that it is that time of year again and that home, the summer hub of activity, changes once again.

Home is where your heart is, where you hang your hat, or any other phrases coined in prose and song.   However, even with its changing titles and roles throughout your life, it is a constant for many.  It’s the place that children drift back to or old friends gather.  Even if it is temporary, such as an apartment or dorm, it is our place of refuge.

Given its esteem, the home should have the honor of being the best place to be should something happen that disrupts the normal.  It could be something fleeting, such as a heavy rain storm, or longer term, such as an extended illness.  Regardless of that unforeseen event, whatever you call home needs to be ready to hold and secure you.

If you live in southern California, the two biggest worries (I should think) would be fire and earthquakes.  Sure, there is that 100-year flood scenario or the more localized, but heart-breaking shooting incidents, but with our seemingly more frequent periods of drought and the San Andreas Fault statistically “ready” to give a good shake, fire and earthquakes are really what we should prepare for.  And when I say “prepare for” I am focusing today on the home.

If one of those events happens and you are not at home, what do you worry about?  Home, of course.  There is no magic bubble to surround your home, although honestly I have not looked at the latest Hammacher Schlemmer catalog..., so you need to do what you can do.  Prepare your home for disasters.

The steps are simple.  Make a list, make a plan, get the stuff, store the stuff, let important people know your plan.  Sure, it will take some time, but the tradeoff is worth it.  Envision – a major earthquake hits and you are at work.  Will you be anxious about your home?  Of course.  But, if you are prepared at home, you will have things set in place to take care of your home and your loved ones.  You will have given a trusty neighbor a key to check your pets.  You will have a plan for where your children will go after school.  You will have a neighborhood plan to shut off your gas line if they smell gas at your meter.  Everyone in your family will have Aunt Bertha’s phone number to call, so she can keep track of everyone.

It’s simple really.  And if you are not convinced, just click your heals 3 times.  I know it works.