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Wildfire Preparedness: Before, During, and After

With wildfire season upon us, we've gone ahead and compiled some tips from Ready.gov, the CDC, FEMA, and the National Weather Service along with a number of other reputable sources to keep you safe and prepared. 

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Prepare NOW

  • Sign up for your community’s warning system
  • Know your community’s evacuation plans and find several ways to leave the area
    • Drive the evacuation routes and find shelter locations
    • Have a plan for pets and livestock
  • Gather emergency supplies, including KN95 respirator masks that filter out particles in the air you breathe
    • Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including an updated asthma action plan and medication
    • Don’t forget the needs of pets
  • Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air
    • Close all doors and windows
    • Set up an air purifier to keep indoor pollution levels low when smoky conditions exist
  • Keep important documents in a fireproof, safe place
    • Create password-protected digital copies
  • Use fire-resistant materials to build, renovate, or make repairs
  • Find an outdoor water source with a hose that can reach any area of your property
  • Create a fire-resistant zone that is free of leaves, debris, or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from your home
  • Review insurance coverage to make sure it is enough to replace your property
  • Pay attention to air quality alerts

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Survive DURING

  • Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to do so
  • If trapped, then call 911 and give your location, but be aware that emergency response could be delayed or impossible
    • Turn on lights to help rescuers find you
  • Listen to EAS, NOAA Weather Radio, or local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions
  • Use KN95 masks to keep harmful particles out of the air you breathe
  • If you are not ordered to evacuate but smoky conditions exist, stay inside in a safe location or go to a community building where smoke levels are lower

Be Safe AFTER

  • Listen to authorities to find out when it is safe to return, and whether water is safe to drink
  • Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris, and live embers.
    • The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire
    • Consider the danger to pets and livestock.
  • Send text messages or use social media to reach out to family and friends
    • Phone systems are often busy following a disaster
    • Make calls only in emergencies
  • Continue to Wear KN95 face masks and wet debris down to minimize breathing dust particles
  • Document property damage with photographs
    • Conduct an inventory and contact your insurance company for assistance
  • Wildfires dramatically change landscape and ground conditions, which can lead to increased risk of flooding due to heavy rains, flash flooding and mudflows
    • Flood risk remains significantly higher until vegetation is restored—up to 5 years after a wildfire
    • Consider purchasing flood insurance to protect the life you've built and to assure financial protection from future flooding

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How Wynd Can Help:

  • Check out our article detailing how to best prepare for a wildfire
  • Download the Air Bubbles App (available at Google Play Store and App Store)
    • View the AQI (air quality index) numbers all around you, with information about how healthy or dangerous the air is.
    • See real-time air quality information in the U.S., Canada, Greater China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Mongolia, with more regions coming soon.
    • Get push notifications when the air quality around you is getting significantly worse
    • Share the air quality with your friends

For more information about how to stay safe this wildfire season, check out https://www.ready.gov/wildfires 

 

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