Wow, I never thought to write a post like this, but then again I also never thought I’d have written all the posts on preparing for quarantine, sharing tips for working at home with kids, the ways shelter in place has been a blessing, or getting salon quality hair at home, but those wen’t up starting back in March. Being a resource for you is my main goal with Have Need Want, and while I always figured it would be a resource for fashion inspiration, styling tips, home decor and DIY, motherhood and the like, 2020 has proven that there is a whole new area of lifestyle that I never imagined. Like having an emergency evacuation checklist and go kit ready to go in case of a natural disaster.
We should hope for the best but be prepared for the worst, and if 2020 has taught me anything it’s that we need to be prepared for the unexpected. If you’re not already prepared for a natural disaster, no biggie! It’s not too late to get prepared. I’ve taken information off of a few sites and compiled it together to help get you ready in case of emergency. With the wildfires in the Santa Cruz Mountains and all over the Bay Area popping up thanks to ideal fire conditions and a thunder and lightning storm I have watched as many of our friends and family members had to evacuate their homes. Some have already lost their homes which saddens me to no end. All we can do now, is help out any way we can. I know a few people who had to evacuate but were able to go back to their homes to grab a few more things they didn’t think about getting the first go round. Many have not been able to go back and that’s why I think it’s important that we all have a plan and a checklist to refer to if ever faced with a similar scenario.
Since Justin is a firefighter he has been helping way more than I can ever do. On his off days he has driven up to the SC Mountains and has helped out the firefighters on the strike teams. A whole group of Santa Clara County Fire Fighters who are not on shift have taken their days off to work for free to help with protecting structures, peoples homes, and on the line so that this fire can get under control. As his wife, I am holding down the fort at home making sure Mason, the pups, and our home are taken care of and supporting him as best I can. And that’s letting him to do what’s right and serve the community by being there regardless of if he is getting paid to do so or not. This is one of the main qualities in him that I absolutely adore. He is selfless, always looking for ways to help out. He stepped up and enlisted in the Marines to protect our country and he stepped up to protect our communities as a firefighter once he went into the reserves.
As I write this post, the fire is currently only 13% contained. New areas have not be asked to evacuate but that doesn’t mean that more might not have to in the near future. And if not from this fire, maybe this post can help people who are forced to evacuate from a future fire somewhere else or another type of natural disaster that is threatening their home. So, I wanted to put together this list. Save it, or print it out and store it somewhere where you can easily access it. Because sometimes you won’t have much warning or time to get out. Maybe even set aside or pack certain belongings that you can away now, so it’s one less step you’ll have to do when you’re in a rush. For example, make sure your Property deeds, Marriage license, Tax papers, and Birth certificates are all together in an easily located place. You don’t want to be searching through lots of drawers or folders trying to locate these important documents when you’re in a rush. Also, maybe consider making digital copies or storing a set of physical copies in a safety deposit box.
Emergency Evacuation Checklist – Things to Grab Before You Evacuate Your Home
Photographs of all family members.
Food and water (for up to seven days, if possible).
Pets (if advance warning, take larger animals to an approved shelter).
Pet ID tags, medications, leashes and water bowls.
Change of clothing for each person (for one to seven days).
Cell phones and chargers. Laptop computer. External backup hard drives.
Health and car insurance cards and related documents.
Property deeds.
Marriage license.
Tax papers.
Birth certificates.
Drivers’ licenses.
Checkbook, credit cards, cash, wallet, purse.
Medications, including analgesics and motion sickness tablets.
First-aid kit.
Prescription eyewear, dentures, hearing aids.
Jewelry.
Irreplaceable keepsakes.
Flashlights and portable radio with extra batteries.
Shop emergency evacuation checklist and go bag selects:
As always, thank you so much for stopping by the blog today! I hope you enjoyed the post and were able to take away something about being prepared for whatever could possibly come our way.
