Helpful wildfire info.........

www.disastercenter.com/guide/wildfire.html

More and more people are making their homes in woodland settings in or near forests, rural areas, or remote mountain sites. There, homeowners enjoy the beauty of the environment but face the very real danger of wildfire. Wildfires often begin unnoticed. They spread quickly, igniting brush, trees, and homes.
What Are Wildfires, and What Causes Them?

There are three different classes of wildfires. A "surface fire" is the most common type and burns along the floor of a forest, moving slowly and killing or damaging trees. A "ground fire" is usually started by lightning and burns on or below the forest floor in the human layer down to the mineral soil. "Crown fires" spread rapidly by wind and move quickly by jumping along the tops of trees.
Learn if you are at risk from wildfire by contacting your local fire department, forestry service, or other emergency response agencies.

Awareness Information

More than four out of every five forest fires are started by people. Negligent human behavior, such as smoking in forested areas or improperly extinguishing campfires, is the cause of many forest fires. Another cause of forest fires is lightning.

Plan for Wildfire

Develop a Family Disaster Plan. Please see the "Family Disaster Plan" section for general family planning information. Develop a wildfire-specific plan. Learn about your area's wildfire risk.Contact your local fire department, forestry service or other emergency response agencies for information on fire laws and wildfire risk.
If you are at risk from wilfire:

When building or planting, consult with your local planning and zoning department, fire department, or local building officials. There may be restrictions on the types of materials or plants used in residential areas. Following local codes or recommendations will help reduce injury and damage to you and your property.

Make sure that fire vehicles can get to your home. If wildfires threaten, firefighters will try to reduce damage around your home.

Clearly mark all driveway entrances and display your name and address.

Post fire emergency telephone numbers. If wildfires threaten, contacting emergency officials as quickly as possible may reduce further damage. Having critical phone numbers posted will avoid wasted time looking them up.

Plan two ways out of your neighborhood. Your primary route may be blocked; know another way out just in case.

Plan your water needs. Sometimes you may be able to fight small fires, preventing them from becoming larger or delaying their effects until emergency responders with appropriate materials arrive on the scene.

Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant.

Keep a garden hose that is long enough to reach any area of the home and other structures on the property.

Install freeze-proof exterior water outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other structures on the property. Install additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home.

Consider obtaining a portable gasoline-powered water pump in case electrical power is cut off.

Develop an evacuation plan. (See "Evacuation" in the "Family Disaster Plan" section.)
Everyone in your family should know where to go if they have to leave. Trying to make plans at the last minute can be upsetting and create confusion.

Discuss wildfire with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing wildfire ahead of time will help reduce fear and anxiety, and lets everyone know how to respond.

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit

Please see the section "Disaster Supplies Kit" for general supplies kit information. Wildfire-specific supplies should include the following:
Sturdy work clothes, gloves and boots.
Disaster Suplies Kit basics.
Evacuation Supply Kit.

What to Tell Children

Practice stop, drop, and roll. Know how to stop, drop, and roll in case your clothes catch on fire. Stop what you are doing, drop to the ground, cover your face, and roll back and forth until the flames go out. Running will only make the fire burn faster. Practicing makes the appropriate response more of an automatic reaction, requiring less thinking time during an actual emergency situation.

Matches and lighters are tools for "grown-ups". These tools help adults use fire properly. Instruct children to tell an adult right away if they see someone playing with fire, matches, or lighters. National Fire Protection Association research has shown that children associate tools with grown-ups, and "grown-up" is a term children use for someone in authority.

Firefighters are our friends, and they will help in case of a fire. Visit a fire station to help ease children's fears. A fire suit and mask are often frightening and children may try to hide from a firefighter in full protective gear.
Please see the "Fire" section for more children's messages.

How to Protect Your Property

Houses and Buildings

Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Obtain local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas. There may be restrictions on the types of materials or plants used in residential areas. Following local codes or recommendations will help reduce injury and damage to you and your property.

Select materials and plants that can help resist fire rather than fuel it. Use fire resistant or noncombustible materials (tile, stucco, metal siding, brick, concrete block, or rock) on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling. Treat wood or combustible materials used in roofs, siding, decking, or trim with fire-retardant chemicals that have been listed by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL). Avoid using wooden shakes and shingles for a roof. Use only thick, tempered safety glass in large windows. Sliding glass doors are already required to be made of tempered safety glass.

Install electrical lines underground, if possible. There is a greater chance of fire from overhead lines that fall or are damaged, such as in an earthquake or storm.

Create a safety zone to separate your home from combustible plants and vegetation. (Consult your local fire department for recommendations about the safety zone for your property.) Maintain the greatest distance possible between your home and materials that may burn in wildfire. Within this area, you can take steps to reduce potential exposure to flames and radiant heat. Stone walls can act as heat shields and deflect flames. Swimming pools and patios can be a safety zone.

If your home sits on a steep slope, standard protective measures may not suffice. Fire moves quickly up steep slopes. A larger safety zone may be necessary. Contact your local fire department or forestry office for additional information.

Equip chimneys and stovepipes with a spark arrester that meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association Code 211. (Contact your local fire department for exact specifications.)This will reduce the chance of burning cinders escaping through the chimney, starting outdoor fires.

Have a fire extinguisher and get training from the fire department on how to use it. Different extinguishers operate in different ways. Unless you know how to use your extinguisher, you may not be able to use it effectively. There is no time to read directions during an emergency.
Consider installing protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes. The heat from a fire creates wind, which can blow hot cinders, sometimes large enough and with enough force to break windows. Reduce the potential for these cinders to cause your home to burn.

Keep a ladder handy that will reach the roof. You may need to get on the roof to wet it down or remove flammable debris.

Keep household items handy that can be used as fire tools: a rake, ax, hand-saw or chain-saw, bucket, and shovel. You may need to fight small fires before emergency responders arrive. Having this equipment will make your efforts more effective.

Plants and Vegetation

Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees in your safety zone and on the remainder of your property. Fire-resistant plants are less likely to catch and spread fire closer to your home. For example, hardwood trees are more fire-resistant than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus, or fir trees.

Rake away leaves, dead limbs, and twigs. Remove leaves and rubbish from under structures and dispose of them properly. Clear all flammable vegetation. This will help reduce the fuel load.

Have a professional tree service thin a 15-foot space between tree crowns, and remove limbs within 6 to 10 feet of the ground. This will help reduce the chance of fire spreading from tree to tree or from ground to tree.

Remove dead branches from all trees. Dead branches are easily combustible.
Keep all tree and shrub limbs trimmed so they don't come in contact with electrical wires. Electrical wires can be easily damaged or knocked loose by swaying branches.

Keep trees adjacent to buildings free of dead or dying wood and moss. Taller plants are more likely to spread fire.

Prune tree branches and shrubs within 15 feet of a stovepipe or chimney outlet.

Reducing Fire Hazards

Ask the power company to clear branches from power lines. High-voltage power lines can be very dangerous. If a line should fall, it can cause injury or fire to others. Only authorized and trained professionals should work around them.

Remove vines from the walls of the home. Even live vines can spread fire quickly.

Mow and water grass regularly. This will help reduce the fire load.

Place propane tanks at least 30 feet from the home or other structures. Propane tanks can explode under certain conditions. Make sure a pressure-relief valve is installed on the propane tank.

Clear a 10-foot area around propane tanks and the barbecue. Place a metal screen over the grill - use nonflammable material with mesh no coarser than one-quarter inch. This will help reduce the chance and lessen the effects of fire.

Regularly dispose of newspapers and rubbish at an approved site. Follow local burning regulations. Regular disposal of flammable items will reduce the fuel available for fire.

Place stove, fireplace, and grill ashes in a metal bucket, soak in water for two days, then bury the cold ashes in mineral soil. Fires can start quickly from hidden cinders or burnt materials that are still hot. Once they are burned, chunks of flammable items can ignite at lower temperatures. Bury ashes to avoid potential fires.

Stack firewood at least 30 feet away and uphill from your home. Clear combustible material within 20 feet of stack. Use only UL-listed wood burning devices. Fire tends to travel uphill, keeping highly combustible firewood and other materials above your home will reduce the effects of fire on your home.

Regularly clean roof and gutters. Remove all dead limbs, needles, and debris that spread fire.
Place metal screens over openings to prevent collection of litter. Cover openings to floors, roof, and attic with screen. Use quarter-inch mesh screen beneath porches, decks, floor areas, and the home itself. (Eighth- or sixteenth-inch mesh screen is better.) Leaves, branches, twigs, and loose papers quickly increase the fuel available for a fire.

Avoid open burning completely, especially during the fire season. Ash and cinders lighter than air float and may be blown into areas with heavy fuel load, starting wildfires.

Report hazardous conditions that could cause a wildfire. Community responders may be able to eliminate or reduce conditions that could cause fire.

Media and Community Education Ideas

Talk to your neighbors about wildfire safety. Plan how the neighborhood could work together before and after a wildfire. Make a list of your neighbors' skills, such as medical or technical. Consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons. Make plans to take care of children who may be on their own if parents can't get home.

Publish a special section with emergency information about wildfires. Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross chapter, and hospitals. Report the areas most at risk from wildfires and let people know of the advantages of creating a fire safety zone around structures and of using fire-resistant roofing materials when building or reroofing.

Work with local emergency services and American Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility problems on what to do if an evacuation is ordered.

Print local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas.

Report on the advantages of regular chimney sweepings.

Periodically inform your community of local public warning systems.

How to Prevent Wildfire

Build fires away from nearby trees or bushes. Ash and cinders lighter than air float and may be blown into areas with heavy fuel load, starting wildfires.

Always have a way to extinguish the fire quickly and completely. If the fire becomes threatening, you will need to extinguish it immediately.

Never leave a fire - even a cigarette - burning unattended. Fire can quickly spread out of control.

What to Do When Wildfire Threatens

Listen regularly to local radio or television stations for updated emergency information. Follow the instructions of local officials. Wildfire can change direction and speed suddenly. A minor threat can quickly escalate to a major threat. Local officials will be able to advise you of the safest escape route, which may be different than you expect.

Back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing the direction of escape. Shut doors and roll up windows. Leave the key in the ignition. Close garage windows and doors, but leave them unlocked. Disconnect automatic garage door openers because power may go out. These steps will make it easier to leave quickly should wildfire threaten.

Confine pets to one room. Make plans to care for your pets in case you must evacuate. Pets may try to run if they feel threatened by fire. Keeping them inside and in one room will allow you to find them quickly if you need to leave.

Arrange temporary housing at a friend or relative's home outside the threatened area. You will be more comfortable in someone's home than in a public shelter. Plus, many shelters do not allow pets.

If you're sure you have time, take steps to reduce the chance of your home catching fire or lessen the amount of damage from a nearby fire.

Inside Your Home

Shut off gas at the meter.
Open fireplace damper. Close fireplace screens.
Close windows, vents, doors, venetian blinds or noncombustible window coverings, and heavy drapes. Remove flammable drapes and curtains.
Move flammable furniture into the center of the home away from windows and sliding-glass doors.
Close all doors and windows inside your home to prevent draft.
Place valuables that will not be damaged by water in a pool or pond.

Outside Your Home

If hoses and adequate water are available, place sprinklers on roofs and on anything that might be damaged by fire.
Seal attic and ground vents with precut plywood or commercial seals.
Remove combustible items from around the house, lawn and poolside furniture, umbrellas, tarp coverings, and firewood.
Connect the garden hose to outside taps.
Set up the portable gasoline-powered pump.
Place lawn sprinklers on the roof and near above-ground fuel tanks. Wet the roof.
Wet shrubs within 15 feet of the home.
Gather fire tools.

Be ready to evacuate all family members and pets when the fire nears or when instructed to do so by local officials. You may need to leave quickly, without much warning. There may be only minutes before the fire is upon you.

If you are trapped, crouch in a pond or river. You cannot outrun a fire. Cover your head and upper body with wet clothing. If water is not around, look for shelter in a cleared area or among a bed of rocks. Lie flat and cover your body with wet clothing or soil. Breathe the air close to the ground through a wet cloth to avoid scorching lungs or inhaling smoke. Wildfires move very fast and create their own wind, helping them to move even faster.

What to Do if Evacuation Is Necessary

If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. You may have only minutes to act. Save yourself.
Wear protective clothing - sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothing, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and a handkerchief to protect your face. Hot embers or cinders can burn your skin if you come into contact with them. Smoke can make it difficult to breathe, damaging breathing passages.

Take your Disaster Supplies Kit. These items will make you more comfortable while you are away from home.

Lock your home. There may be others who evacuate after you or return before you. Secure your house as you normally would.

Tell someone outside of the wildfire area where you are going. Relatives and friends will be concerned about your safety. Letting someone know your travel plans will help relieve their fear and anxiety.

Choose a route away from fire hazards. Watch for changes in the speed and direction of fire and smoke. Staying as far away as possible will provide you with the greatest safety.

What to Do After a Wildfire

Use caution and exercise good judgment when re-entering a burned wildland area. Hazards may still exist, including hot spots, which can flare up without warning.

Avoid damaged or fallen power poles or lines, and downed wires. Immediately report electrical damage to authorities. Electric wires may shock people or cause further fires. If possible, remain on the scene to warn others of the hazard until repair crews arrive.

Be careful around burned trees and power poles. They may have lost stability due to fire damage.

Watch for ash pits and mark them for safety. Ash pits are holes full of hot ashes, created by burned trees and stumps. You can be seriously burned by falling into ash pits or landing in them with your hands or feet. Warn your family and neighbors to keep clear of the pits.

If a power line or pole should fall next to you, hop out of the area. You are less likely to be shocked if you are hopping.

Returning to Your Home

If there is no power, check to make sure the main breaker is on. Fires may cause breakers to trip. If the breakers are on and power is still not present, contact the utility company.
Inspect the roof immediately and extinguish any sparks or embers. Wildfires may have left burning embers that could reignite.

For several hours afterward, recheck for smoke and sparks throughout the home, including the attic. The winds of wildfires can blow burning embers anywhere. Keep checking your home for embers that could cause fires.

Take precautions while cleaning your property. You may be exposed to potential health risks from hazardous materials.

Debris should be wetted down to minimize health impacts from breathing dust particles.

Use a two-strap dust particulate mask with nose clip and coveralls for the best minimal protection.

Wear leather gloves to protect hands from sharp objects while removing debris.

Wear rubber gloves when working with outhouse remnants, plumbing fixtures, and sewer piping. They can contain high levels of bacteria.

Hazardous materials such as kitchen and bathroom cleaning products, paint, batteries, contaminated fuel and damaged fuel containers need to be properly handled to avoid risk. Check with local authorities for hazardous disposal assistance.

If you have a propane tank system, contact a propane supplier, turn off valves on the system, and leave valves closed until the supplier inspects your system. Tanks, brass and copper fittings and lines may have been damaged from the heat and be unsafe. If fire burned the tank, the pressure relief valve probably opened and released the contents.

If you have a heating oil tank system, contact a heating oil supplier for an inspection of your system before using. The tank may have shifted or fallen from the stand and fuel lines may have kinked or weakened. Heat from the fire may have caused the tank to warp or bulge. Nonvented tanks are more likely to bulge or show signs of stress. The fire may have loosened or damaged fittings and filters.

Visually check the stability of the trees. Any tree that has been weakened by fire may be a hazard. Winds are normally responsible for toppling weakened trees. The wind patterns in your area may have changed as a result of the loss of adjacent tree cover.

Look for burns on the tree trunk. If the bark on the trunk has been burned off or scorched by very high temperatures completely around the circumference, the tree will not survive. Where fire has burnt deep into the trunk, the tree should be considered unstable.

Look for burnt roots by probing the ground with a rod around the base of the tree and several feet away from the base. Roots are generally six to eight inches below the surface. If the roots have been burned, you should consider this tree very unstable, and it may be toppled by wind.

A scorched tree is one that has lost part or all of its leaves or needles. Healthy deciduous trees are resilient and may produce new branches and leaves as well as sprouts at the base of the tree. Evergreen trees may survive when partially scorched. An evergreen tree that has been damaged by fire is subject to bark beetle attack. Please seek professional assistance from the forestry service concerning measures for protecting evergreens from bark beetle attack.

Drinking Water

Wells at undamaged homes should be safe, unless affected by a fuel spill. If you are in doubt of water safety, contact your local public health officials.

If your house was damaged, disinfect and test water before consumption. The water system may have become contaminated with bacteria due to loss of water pressure in the plumbing.

If you use water from a public well, have a water sample collected and tested before allowing the water to be consumed. Water may have been contaminated with bacteria due to a loss of water pressure in the plumbing.


After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, and telephones, may be cut off, or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice. You probably won’t have time to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.

What Is a Disaster Supplies Kit?

Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your Family Disaster Plan. Following a disaster, having extra supplies at home or supplies to take with you in the event of an evacuation can help your family endure evacuation or home confinement. Learn more about Disaster Supplies Kits by contacting your local emergency management agency or your local American Red Cross chapter.

Awareness Information

Involve Children in Disaster Preparedness.
Ask children to help you remember to keep your kits in working order by changing the food and water every six months and replacing batteries as necessary. Children might make calendars or posters with the appropriate dates marked on them. Ask children to think of items that they would like to include in their own Disaster Supplies Kit, such as books or games or appropriate nonperishable food items.

Prepare Your Kit
Tips for Your Disaster Supplies Kit

Keep a smaller Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk of each car. If you become stranded or are not able to return home, having some items will help you to be more comfortable until help arrives.

Keep items in airtight plastic bags. This will help protect them from damage or spoiling.

Replace stored food and water every six months. Replacing your food and water supplies will help ensure their freshness.

Rethink your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc.

Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications. It may be difficult to obtain prescription medications during a disaster because stores may be closed or supplies may be limited.

Use an easy-to-carry container for the supplies you would most likely need for an evacuation. Label it clearly. Possible containers include:

A large, covered trash container.

A camping backpack.
A duffel bag.
A cargo container that will fit on the roof of your vehicle.

Disaster Supplies Kit Basics

The following items might be needed at home or for an evacuation. Keeping them in an easy-to-carry backpack or duffel bag near your door would be best in case you need to evacuate quickly, such as in a tsunami, flash flood, or major chemical emergency. Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Kit basics are:
A portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.
Flashlight and extra batteries.
First aid kit and first aid manual.
Supply of prescription medications.
Credit card and cash.
Personal identification.
An extra set of car keys.
Matches in a waterproof container.
Signal flare.
Map of the area and phone numbers of places you could go.
Special needs, for example, diapers or formula, prescription medicines and copies of prescriptions, hearing aid batteries, spare wheelchair battery, spare eyeglasses, or other physical needs.
If you have additional space, consider adding some of the items from your Evacuation Supplies Kit.

Evacuation Supplies Kit

Place in an easy-to-carry container the supplies you would most likely need if you were to be away from home for several days. Label the container clearly. Remember to include:

Disaster Supplies Kit basics.

Three gallons of water per person.
Three-day supply of nonperishable food.

Kitchen accessories: manual can opener; mess kits or paper cups, plates, and plastic/disposable utensils; utility knife; a can of cooking fuel if food must be cooked; household liquid bleach to treat drinking water; sugar, salt, pepper; aluminum foil; plastic resealable bags.

One complete change of clothing and footwear for each family member, sturdy shoes or workboots, raingear, hat and gloves, thermal underwear, sunglasses.

Blankets or sleeping bag for each family member.

Tools and other accessories: paper, pencil; needles and thread; pliers, shut-off wrench, shovels, and other useful tools; tape; medicine dropper; whistle; plastic sheeting; small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher; emergency preparedness manual; tube tent; compass.
Sanitation and hygiene items: toilet paper, towelettes; soap, hand sanitizer, liquid detergent; feminine supplies; personal items such as shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, comb and brush, lip balm; plastic garbage bags (heavy-duty) and ties (for personal sanitation uses); medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid; disinfectant; household chlorine bleach; small shovel for digging an expedient latrine.

Entertainment, such as games and books.

Remember to consider the needs of very young and older family members, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons.
For baby: formula, diapers, bottles, powdered milk, medications.
For adults: heart and high blood pressure medication, insulin, prescription drugs, denture needs, contact lenses and supplies, extra eyeglasses, and hearing aid batteries.

To Build a Makeshift Toilet

Line a bucket with a garbage bag and make a toilet seat out of two boards placed parallel to each other across the bucket. After each use, pour a disinfectant such as bleach (1 part liquid chlorine bleach to 10 parts water) into the garbage bag. This will help avoid infection and stop the spread of disease. Cover the bucket tightly when it is not in use.

Bury garbage and human waste to avoid the spread of disease by rats and insects. Dig a pit two to three feet deep and at least 50 feet downhill or away from any well, spring, or water supply.

Home Disaster Supplies Kit

In addition to your Disaster Supplies Kit basics and Evacuation Supplies Kit, gathering the following items will help your family endure home confinement, which often happens following disasters and may include the loss of utilities.
Wrench to turn off household gas and water. Keep it near the shut-off valves.
A week’s supply of food and water.
Additional blankets and sleeping bags.

Also, consider using a NOAA Weather Radio with the tone-alert feature in your home. NOAA Weather Radio is the best means for receiving warnings from the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service continuously broadcasts updated weather warnings and forecasts that can be received by NOAA Weather Radios sold in many stores. NOAA Weather Radio now broadcasts warning and postevent information for all types of hazards--both natural (such as earthquakes and volcanic activity) and technological (such as chemical releases or oil spills). Working with other federal agencies and the Federal Communications Commission’s new Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio is an "all hazards" radio network, making it the single source for the most comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. Your National Weather Service recommends purchasing a radio that has both a battery backup and a Specific Area Message Encoder (SAME) feature, which automatically alerts you when a watch or warning is issued for your county, giving you immediate information about a life-threatening situation. The average range is 40 miles, depending on topography; the National Weather Radio signal is a line-of-sight signal, which does not bore through hills or mountains.

Water

Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency.
Store water in plastic containers, such as soft drink plastic bottles. Seal containers tightly, label them and store in a cool, dark place. Replace water every six months. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.

Keep at least a three-day supply of water, or a minimum of three gallons per person. It is strongly recommended to have more if possible. Use one-half gallon per day for drinking, and one-half gallon for cooking and sanitation. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people will need more. Store your three-day supply in a handy place. You need to have water packed and ready in case there is no time to fill water bottles when disaster strikes.

Water needs to be treated only if it is of questionable purity.
Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Strain water through a clean cloth to remove bulk impurities. Bring water to a rolling boil for about one full minute, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.

You can use household liquid bleach to kill microorganisms. Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, color-safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water. Other chemicals, such as iodine or water treatment products sold in camping or surplus stores that do not contain 5.25 percent hypochlorite as the only active ingredient, are not recommended and should not be used.

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt or other solid impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang rightside up when the lid is upside down (make sure the cup is not touching the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Melt ice cubes or use water from undamaged hot water tanks, toilet tanks (not the bowl), and water pipes if you need additional water.

If you need to find water outside of your home, you can use rainwater; streams, rivers, and other moving bodies of water; ponds and lakes; and natural springs. If you question its purity, be sure to treat the water first. Avoid water with floating material, an odor, or a dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. Do NOT drink flood water.

Food

Even though it is unlikely that an emergency would cut off your food supply for two weeks, you should consider preparing a supply that will last that long. The easiest way to develop a two-week stockpile is to increase the amount of basic foods you normally keep on your shelves. If your water supply is limited, try to avoid foods that are high in fat and protein, and don’t stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty. Familiar foods can lift morale and give a feeling of security in time of stress. Also, canned foods won’t require cooking, water, or special preparation. Take into account your family’s unique needs and tastes. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are also high in calories, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Pack at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food and water, and store it in a handy place. You need to have these items packed and ready in case there is no time to gather food from the kitchen when disaster strikes.

Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation, or cooking, and little or no water. Foods that are compact and lightweight are easy to store and carry.

If you must heat food, pack a can of cooking fuel.

Try to eat salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned food with high liquid content.

Recommended foods include:
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables.
Canned juice, milk, and soup (if powdered, store extra water).
High-energy foods, such as peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, and trail mix.
Comfort foods, such as hard candy, sweetened cereals, candy bars, and cookies.
Instant coffee, tea bags.
Foods for infants, elderly persons, or persons on special diets, if necessary.

Also consider:
Compressed food bars. They store well, are lightweight, taste good, and are nutritious.
Trail mix. Available prepackaged, or assemble your own.
Dried foods. They can be nutritious and satisfying, but contain a lot of salt, which promotes thirst.
Freeze-dried foods. They are tasty and lightweight, but will need water for reconstitution.
Instant meals. Cups of noodles or cups of soup are a good addition, although they need water for reconstitution.
Snack-sized canned goods. Good because they generally have pull-top lids or twist-open keys.
Prepackaged beverages. Those in foil packets and foil-lined boxes are suitable because they are tightly sealed and will keep for a long time.
Food options to avoid:
Commercially dehydrated foods. They can require a great deal of water for reconstitution and extra effort in preparation.
Bottled foods. They are generally too heavy and bulky, and break easily.
Meal-sized canned foods. They are usually bulky and heavy.
Whole grains, beans, pasta. Preparation could be complicated under the circumstances of a disaster.

If your electricity goes off:
First, use perishable food and foods from the refrigerator.
Then, use the foods from the freezer. To minimize the number of times you open the freezer door, post a list of freezer contents on it. In a well-filled, well-insulated freezer, foods will usually still have ice crystals in their centers (meaning foods are safe to eat) for at least three days.
Finally, begin to use nonperishable foods and staples.
Remember to store nonperishable foods for your pets.

First Aid Kit

Assemble a first aid kit for your Disaster Supplies Kit and one for each car.

The basics for your first aid kit include:
First aid manual.
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes.
Assorted sizes of safety pins.
Cleansing agent/soap.
Latex gloves (2 pairs).
Sunscreen.
2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6).
4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6).
Triangular bandages (3).
Nonprescription drugs.
2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls).
3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls).
Scissors.
Tweezers.
Needle.
Moistened towelettes.
Antiseptic.
Thermometer.
Tongue depressor blades (2).
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant.
Have the following nonprescription drugs in your Disaster Supplies Kit:
Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever.
Antidiarrhea medication.
Antacid (for stomach upset).
Syrup of ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the poison control center).
Laxative.
Activated charcoal (use if advised by the poison control center).
Vitamins.
Add any necessary prescription and nonprescription drugs.
Add special needs for infants, elderly persons, or anyone with serious allergies.
Important Documents

Keep the following original documents in a safe deposit box if possible, and copies in a waterproof, fire-resistant portable container:
Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds.
Passports, social security cards, immunization records.
Bank account numbers.
Credit card account numbers and companies.
Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers.
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates).

Great post, SG - thanks! Another good place to look is www.firewise.org - lots of good information and literature!

rather die. or move to the city, life should not be that hard.

Thanks SG. Lots of good info.

Does anyone have shudders to put over their windows assuming there is time? If so, what kind?

The only thing I would consider doing differently is leave the door unlocked especially after watching firefighters break the doors or windows to homes in the Waldo Canyon fire checking to make sure people were out. If they break in the door then it seems to me with all the wildlife especially bears would smell all the rotting food in the refrigerator and freezer and make themselves at home.