Preparedness can make a difference

Wildfires, earthquakes, floods and blizzards are all possible in this part of the country. If a disaster such as this should happen, will you be prepared?
When I was younger, I had an old cowboy friend who always preached “be ready so you don’t have to get ready.” Of course he was referring to riding horses, who by nature can be skittish and sometimes unpredictable. But these days that sentiment applies to a bigger picture.
I just learned that a friend of a friend who lives in Los Angeles was evacuated during the wildfires this week and saw his house burning to the ground while watching the news on TV. He escaped unharmed, but with only the clothes on his back.
In Utah we are no strangers to wildfires. Within the last 20 years Sanpete County firefighters and state agencies have battled multiple wildfires in our area, sometimes evacuating entire towns. And while we are months away from fire season (which officially runs from June 1 to Oct. 15) we should always keep preparedness in mind.
Wildfires, earthquakes, floods and blizzards are all possible in this part of the country. If a disaster such as this should happen, will you be prepared? Here is a 10 point checklist of preparedness actions that you can do now so you can “be ready”:
1) Create a “go-bag” for each family member. In a backpack or duffel bag (you can get them from the thrift store if necessary) pack 72 hour’s worth of non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries, meds and a blanket. Don’t forget a flashlight, batteries and charging cord for your phone. Keep the packs in a place where you can quickly load them into the car. If you have pets don’t forget a bag with pet food, dog leashes, and collapsable water bowls.
2) If the warning signs of possible evacuation are present, don’t wait until it’s too late. Load everyone’s go-bags into the car ahead of time to save precious time if you need to flee.
3) Keep a gallon or two of water in your car, along with a couple of cups. If you often travel with your pet like I do, keep a water bowl in the car too.
4) In the winter keep extra clothing layers, a blanket, snacks, a flashlight and a shovel in your car always. I have a special winter travel pack that I take with me when I drive. Unpredictable mountain weather sometimes causes roadway hazards that stop traffic for hours.
5) Get together with all of your family members and agree on a convenient meeting place where everyone with gather in an emergency such as this. Keep in mind how you will get there and if kids can get there.
6) Keep your valuable documents in a locking fireproof box that can be kept in a location close enough to your car to grab on your way if you need to evacuate. Store an extra key to the box in your vehicle. Not having to replace valuable documents will be a big relief if disaster strikes.
7) Make a checklist of other belongings you will want to save if time permits. Precious photos, jewelry, family heirlooms, antiques and computers may need to stay behind, but if you know which of these you want to rescue and you can safely do it, grab those things on your list if you can.
8) Have a plan. Know which direction you are heading if you can safely go that way and where you wan to end up.
9) Be sure you are enrolled in the Sanpete County Community Notification System so you can receive text alerts and updates in the event of a disaster. https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/?regionid=1248
10) Stay calm! After all, you did all that you could ahead of time to mitigate the danger and “be ready.”
Naturally we can’t predict all of the scenarios in which we will be facing evacuation or dangerous conditions at home, at work, in school or while on the road. What we can do is think about those situations now and prepare in the best way possible to protect ourselves, our families and our pets. When the time comes you won’t get a second chance to think about what to do, so think about it now.