In the case of a fire evacuation, mandatory or voluntary, it’s important to be prepared. Nearly 82,000 Californians were forced out of their homes Tuesday night after a wildfire rapidly spread in the southern part of the state.
"It's always good to be prepared when the time comes, you never know when that's going to happen," Steve Williams, general manager of Guardian Survival Gear, said.
Guardian is a Idaho-based distributor of survival gear and emergency preparedness kits.
"Our founder, actually, Daniel Kunz, his family’s house was burned down in Southern California probably 15 years ago or so, and that was kind of the inspiration of the company," Williams said.
The company has created a kit specifically for wildfire preparedness, but, if you want to create your own, readyforwildfire.org suggests you have a 72-hour kit on hand and ready to grab on your way out the door.
In a kit, keep a 3-day supply of non-perishable food, three gallons of water per person, prescriptions, a change of clothes, extra glasses and contacts, an extra set of keys, credit cards, cash, a first aid kit, a flashlight and battery powered radio, toiletries, and copies of important documents.
In an emergency, such as a fire evacuation, don't forget your pets.
"[Include] food for them… tie downs, a harness, kitty litter, things that,” Williams said. “You've got to think about your best friends when something happens; they need to be taken care of as well."
Instead of waiting for an emergency to strike, Williams suggests being ready and organized at all times.
"You don't have the mindset to be thinking about it when it's happening,” Williams said. “So, when it does happen, you know exactly where to go and what to grab, and you'll be safe."
For more information on emergency preparedness kits visit http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Emergency-Supply-Kit/ or https://www.wholesalesurvivalkits.com/ .
