Wildfire Disaster Preparedness
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Before a Fire
- Prepare an emergency kit and make a family communications plan
- Make sure your home is sided and landscaped to resist fire
- Regularly clean roof and gutters of debris
- Keep chimneys and stovepipes clean and in working order
- Screen exterior openings to floors, roof, and attic
- Install a dual-sensor smoke alarm on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries at least once each year
- Teach family members the location and how to use a fire extinguisher
- Keep handy household items that can be used as fire tools such as: a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, or bucket and shovel
- Keep a ladder that will reach the roof
- Consider installing protective shutters or heavy, fire-resistant drapes
Water planning
- Identify outside water sources: small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant
- Have a garden hose long enough to reach each area of the home and outbuildings on the property
- Install freeze-proof exterior outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other outbuildings, and also, additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home
- Consider a portable, gasoline-powered pump or generator, in case electrical power is lost
Other useful links:
- Firewise workshops are offered for free all across the nation, in communities large and small, and free Firewise materials can be obtained easily by anyone interested
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