Every emergency presents a unique situation calling for different actions regarding shelter-in-place versus evacuation, and while each situation may call for variations in the evacuation protocol. However, some general concepts of evacuation during a wildfire emergency can be applied to our specific Bayside Acres-centric geography.
How to Prepare Your Home
Give your home the greatest chance of surviving a fire by creating a list of action items for the last few minutes before you leave the house so as to prepare for first responders. These steps will save the emergency staff critical time and increase their ability to save lives and structures. How
The steps on this list include:
- Shut off your gas line (only if you smell gas)
- Move flammables (propane tanks, wicker furniture, cushions, brooms, etc) away from your home (preferably inside or 30’ away from structures)
- Close all windows to repel embers
- You do not need to leave your doors unlocked if everyone, including pets, are safely evacuated
- Tape a note or Evacuation Tag to your front door or garage saying that you’ve left so no one will waste time looking for you
- Leave gates unlocked (If they are wooden, leave them open to create a fuel break)
Consider keeping a small cart or suitcase with wheels handy for transporting medical equipment and larger essential items.
Take one or two cars? Marin emergency officials recommend packing one car unless you leave your home early. During an Evacuation Order or Warning, the fewer cars on the road, the better.
Bayside Acres Evacuation Routes
Evacuation routes from Bayside Acres are short and obvious; all roads lead to Point San Pedro Road (PSPR). When you reach PSPR you must follow the orders of law enforcement and fire authorities.
If evacuating from wildfire, seek areas with little vegetation, such as parking lots, golf courses, and ball fields. When evacuating by car, consider helping those in need. Generally, your should evacuate downhill, stay on pavement, and avoid fire roads or getting out of your car.
Temporary Refuge Areas – Where to Go
Likely Temporary Refuge Areas for Bayside Acres could be out of the area toward downtown San Rafael or closer (the quarry, the brickyard, or Andy’s Market parking lot). The San Rafael Fire Department (SRFD) is working on evacuation maps for the whole city that reflect different levels of fire risk. SRFD expects to complete its maps later this year.
It’s possible that Chicken Point, the part of Bayside Acres between Point San Pedro Road (PSPR) and the bay, will be a Temporary Refuge Area. That would remove a lot of uncertainty and stress from any evacuation that’s ordered. It also would keep the cars from Bayside Acres 160+ households from clogging PSPR.
Alternate Evacuation Routes
There are secondary evacuation routes from Bayview Dr., Main Dr., and Manzanita Ave. if your direct access to PSPR is blocked. These routes are to be used only when the primary route is blocked. They are on private property and normally are secured by locked gates. Remember that you can evacuate by foot if necessary.
If Main Drive is blocked, the alternative way out is the lane adjacent to the Glenwood School that connects Main Drive to Knight Drive in Glenwood. There is a gate at this location.
SRFD emergency vehicles have keys to the locks on the two gates that block access to the alternate route.
Remember that you can evacuate by foot if necessary.
If Bayview Drive is blocked, the alternative way out is via the driveway at 225 Bayview, which leads to Tweed Terrace in Loch Lomond. The owners will make every effort to leave the gate open for an easy exit to safety.
Knowing When to Evacuate
Alert Marin sends three levels of emergency notifications:
- Shelter in Place means that you should stay where you are (hopefully at home) until and unless you are told otherwise. Contact your neighbor list to be sure everyone has the same information and understanding of how to respond.
- Evacuation Warning means that you may be ordered to evacuate. Again, contact your neighbor list to be sure everyone has the same information and understanding of how to respond.
- Evacuation Order means, “Leave now!” To protect your life you should leave with your pets as quickly as possible. Alert neighbors if it is safe. To alert neighbors without slowing your own evacuation use alternate contact methods such as car horns.
Preparing for an Evacuation
FIRESafe MARIN has several resources available on their website. This website has all the information you’ll need, such as how to prepare for an evacuation, “Go Bag” essentials, and what to do during an evacuation.
Sign Up for Alerts
Being notified of a pending or actual emergency and what you should do is critical. See the Early Warning Systems page for the available notification systems and how to sign up.
Include Neighbors in your Planning Process
As part of preparing for an evacuation, please make a list of neighbors you will contact when you receive an emergency alert. Connecting with neighbors will help ensure everyone is informed and has time to take actions to protect their lives and property. It will also help reduce misinformation, misunderstanding and anxiety. Plan how to assist neighbors who may require help in an emergency, e.g., the disabled, the hearing-impaired, the vision-impaired, the ill and the infirm.
Additional Information on Evacuations
Evacuations are inherently dangerous, often resulting in traffic accidents and impeding the progress of emergency vehicles headed to the emergency. Unless you receive an Evacuation Order, check with your neighbors to see if there is a general evacuation or not.
That said, no matter what alert is issued—shelter in place or evacuation warning—if you feel you are in immediate danger, seek a safer place.
You must pick your own evacuation route if you are not using known evacuation routes and are not being directed by fire or law enforcement authorities. In that event, seek areas with little vegetation, such as parking lots, golf courses, and ball fields. When evacuating by car, consider helping those in need. Generally, your should evacuate downhill, stay on pavement, and avoid fire roads or getting out of your car.
Evacuation by foot is never recommended unless you have no other options. Your survivability rate is significantly improved by staying in your vehicle vs. going outside in the fire area (smoke & embers will impact you and the fire can outrun you).