Courtesy Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team & Cal Fire
Residents and visitors need to be prepared to evacuate in the event of an emergency. Take the time to prepare a wildfire action plan and use this checklist to prepare your family and home.
Wildfire Action Plan
- Meet with household members. Explain dangers to children & work as a team to prepare.
- Discuss what to do about power outages & personal injuries.
- Post emergency phone numbers near phones (cell service may be down in an emergency)
- Learn how to turn off the water, gas & electricity.
- Select a safe meeting point in case you are separated.
- Complete a family communications plan that includes contact information for family members, work & school.
- Teach children how to make phone calls.
- Complete an inventory of home contents & photograph/video the house & landscape. Place files in your Go Bag & store a second copy elsewhere.
- Identify escape routes & safe places. Draw an escape plan highlighting two routes out of each room. Be sure everyone in your family knows them.
- Prepare an EVACUATED sign (provided in our guide). Select a site to post signs where they will be clearly visible from the street.
- Prepare to address the special needs of vulnerable populations, including the elderly & people with medical problems or disabilities.
- If the family member is dependent upon medications, equipment or has special dietary needs, plan to bring those items with you. Documentation about insurance & medical conditions should also accompany the person.
- Plan transportation in advance for anyone with special needs.
- Make sure dogs & cats wear properly fitted collars with identification, vaccination, microchip & license tags.
- Exchange veterinary information with neighbors & file a permission slip with the veterinarian authorizing emergency care for your animals.
- Make sure all vehicles, trailers & pet carriers needed for evacuation are serviced & ready to be used.
- Assemble a pet Go Bag.
Preserve water for firefighters
Do not leave on sprinklers or hoses if you evacuate. It diminishes water pressure in systems used by firefighters.
Long-term disaster kit
Prepare a disaster supplies kit in case of an extended evacuation at an emergency shelter or for returning to a home without functioning electricity and water. Details available in the digital edition of this guide at issuu.com/TheTahoeWeekly.
Follow the Six Ps for immediate evacuations
- People & pets
- Papers, phone numbers & important documents
- Prescriptions, vitamins & eyeglasses
- Pictures & irreplaceable memorabilia
- Personal computer hard drive & disks
- Plastic (credit cards, ATM cards) & cash
Read our 3rd Annual Wildfire Preparedness Guide