That can save your your life!
Go-Bag
Pack your essential items in a Go-Bag. Other items that can’t practically be stored ahead of time in a Go-Bag, will be on a “grab and go” list (see below).
- Water (2 bottles)
- Snacks
- Cash
- Flashlight & batteries
- Battery-powered crank or NOAA radio
- N-95 respiratorFirst aid supplies
- Gloves, preferably leather to protect against glass and heat
- Hat for protection
- Change of clothing, shoes
- Bandana
- Goggles
- Toiletries and sanitation supplies
- Can opener
- Duct Tape
- Maps in case there is no cell service
Grab & Go List
Make a list of important items in your home that you can’t fit— or it’s not practical to store—in your Go-Bags. These are items that you may use every day or are valuable. You will have to decide if you have time to gather them, but this Grab & Go list will keep you focused. Assign family members responsibility for each item or for various rooms where they reside. Consider keeping a small cart or suitcase with wheels handy for transporting medical equipment and larger essential items.
- Load your family’s Go-Bags into the car
- Load pets and their Go-Bags into the car (see below)
- Car Keys
- Wallet/Credit Cards
- Mobile Phones, chargers, power banks
- Prescriptions and medications
- First Aid kit
- Important documents (birth certificates, passports, medicalcards, insurance policies). Consider uploading copies of these to the cloud.
- Eyeglasses or contact lenses
- Computers, hard-drives
- Family photos
- Small irreplaceable items
- Jewelry
- Toiletries
Evacuate Your Pets Safely
These tips are important not only for your pets’ safety, but also for you and your family. How many news stories have we heard of people dashing back into homes to find frightened pets after an evacuation order has been given?
— Pet Carriers: Make sure you have one for each pet.
Pet Go-Bags:
- Food for 1 day plus a little extra to mix with new food you will have to buy later.
- Water: 1-2 bottles
- Medications
- Collapsible water bowls
- Collars and leashes
- Litter box
- Toy
- Documentation of your pet’s vaccinations or on your phone so you can show that to a kennel, vet, etc
- Be sure your pets wear tags and are registered with microchips
- Consider buying an Air Filter Mask for dogs (K9Mask.com sells them)
Resources For Those With Access or Functional Needs
If you have mobility problems or use devices that require power, there is help available for the Marin Center for Independent Living (CIL). They can be reached at:
Chris Saroch, Community Resiliency Navigator coordinates their Powered & Prepared program. He can be reached directly at 415-459-6245 x12 and chris@marincil.org.
Anyone interested can apply directly to the program and find relevant materials at marincil.org/prepare.
Education
An important step in wildfire prevention is to learn about wildfire, the steps that you can take as a resident, as well as those being taken on your behalf by several agencies. Among them are your Bayside Acres Firewise Team, FIRESafe Marin, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, Firewise USA, and others. They provide many resources for you to become aware of what you can do and help you do it.
Grab some popcorn and watch these short videos from Wildfire Watch …
Life After Wildfire: Lessons from Paradise California
Welcome to Wildfire Watch
Evacuation
Trees
Cost of Wildfire
Do It Yourself w/Arann Harris
Myth Busters w/Todd Lando
Additional Fire Safe Marin Resources, including articles, videos, Find a Smart Contractor, Marin Fire Departments, and more…
Financial Resources
Fire Safe Marin Grant Opportunities
Current Financial Assistance Programs from the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, MWPA Defensible Space Grant Program, MWPA Home Hardening Grant Program, San Rafael Fire Department
S.R. Fire Dept. Wildfire Mitigation Grant Program
The City of San Rafael is offering a grant program to assist San Rafael property owners in reducing wildfire risks on their property. Qualifying work includes vegetation management within 30 feet of a structure and home hardening efforts.