If you receive an evacuation warning, don’t wait to pack your “go-bag” and make sure to remember your essential items.
Fire has broken out in large swaths of Los Angeles County since Tuesday morning, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena communities.
Firefighters have been fighting three blazes, starting with the Palisades fire that’s burned through more than 11,000 acres as of Wednesday morning. In the hills above Altadena, the Eaton fire started on the same day and has charred more than 10,000 acres. The Hurst fire near Sylmar has not had any evacuations as of Wednesday afternoon, but has blazed through more than 500 acres.
Experts advise that the sooner you leave after an evacuation warning is issued, the more time you have to get to safety. Leaving early also helps keep the roads clear of congestion for emergency responders, according to the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department.
There are three types of evacuation alerts: shelter-in-place, evacuation warning and evacuation order, according to Ready L.A. County.
Shelter-in-place means staying indoors, shutting all windows and doors. Under this order, you’ll have to prepare to self-sustain until further notice or until you’re contacted by emergency officials for additional direction.
Evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life and/or property. People who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately.
Evacuation order means there’s an immediate threat to life. This is an order to leave immediately and the area is closed to public access.
When you receive a shelter-in-place or evacuation warning you should start preparing a “go-bag,” if you don’t already have one. This is a bag that carries important documents, extra medicine and other essentials and that’s easily accessible if you need to urgently run out the door.
If you are evacuating your home or preparing for the possibility, here are a few things you should pack.
What to pack in the “go-bag”
Your “go-bag” can be any sturdy backpack or bag.
What goes into the “go-bag”:
- Water and nonperishable food, along with utensils and a can opener
- A flashlight and extra batteries for it
- A first aid kit
- A fire extinguisher (look to buy small ones designed for cars and homes)
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags, toilet paper and plastic ties for sanitation purposes (the moist towelettes will also come in handy for cleaning off soot and ash)
- A whistle to signal for help
- A battery-operated or hand-crank radio
- A printed map of your area, in case GPS isn’t working or you have to look for an alternate route
Your “go-bag” should also include the following items:
- Face masks (N95 and KN95 masks work better for smoke and air pollution than a cloth mask)
- Batteries and chargers for your phone and other portable devices
- Several days’ worth of clothing — including coats, pajamas, underwear, socks and sturdy close-toed shoes
- A blanket or sleeping bag
- Comfort items and things to pass the time, such as stuffed animals, board games and books
In smaller or solo households, it might make sense to keep everything in one bag; for bigger families, these things might go into individual “go-bags.”
Fire officials 6 P’s
On top of what’s in your go-bag, make sure to pack what the Los Angeles Fire Department calls “the 6 P’s”:
1) People and pets: All the living creatures in your house.
2) Papers and phone numbers: This includes vital documents like birth certificates, passports, vaccination records and insurance information, as well as a list of essential phone numbers. Your phone battery could die or cell service may be unavailable when you’re on the road — a lousy time to realize you don’t know the phone number of the place you’re headed. Have phone numbers for family members, friends, a boss or co-worker, your doctor, your veterinarian or pediatrician if applicable, an out-of-state contact, your lawyer, your insurance agent, your landlord and whatever destination you’ll have in mind when you evacuate, like a hotel or a designated evacuation site.
3) Prescriptions: Your pill bottles, yes, but also things like eyeglasses, contact lenses and other health-related items you might need — think vitamins, toothbrush and toothpaste, feminine hygiene supplies, contact-lens solution. If you’re evacuating with infants or toddlers, make sure to include diapers and wipes. The first-aid kit in your “go-bag” should have standard supplies, but double-check that you’ve got bandages and gauze, medical tape, antibiotic cream, antacids, anti-diarrhea medications, antihistamines and over-the-counter pain relievers.
4) Pictures and personal items: This category includes all the things you couldn’t stand to lose. Pack up photo albums, framed photos, memorabilia and heirlooms, video game consoles, musical instruments, plants and jewelry. Anything is OK as long as packing them won’t delay your evacuation or take up space in the car that you need for more vital supplies.
5) Personal computers: Most of our lives are on computers, so make sure yours goes into the car. If you don’t want to haul a whole desktop PC with you, store copies of vital documents in the cloud or on a flash drive.
6) Plastics: This includes your ID, credit and debit cards, and cash.
Stay informed with alerts
Stay in the know about warnings and alerts by signing up with your local emergency mass notification system.
Los Angeles County residents can sign up with Alert L.A. County, Notify L.A. and Nixle to receive notifications via text message or email. Stay updated on weather forecasts by tuning in to your local news broadcast station and checking the National Weather Service Los Angeles office website.