AFTER

DURING A WILDFIRE

• Turn on a battery-operated radio to get the latest emergency information.


• Remove combustible items from around the house.
  
  • Lawn and poolside furniture
  
  
  • Umbrellas
  
  
  • Tarp coverings
  
  
  • Firewood
  
  


• Take down flammable drapes and curtains and close all venetian blinds or noncombustible window coverings.


• Take action to protect your home.


• Close all doors and windows inside your home to prevent draft.


• Close gas valves and turn off all pilot lights.


• Turn on a light in each room for visibility in heavy smoke.


• Place valuables that will not be damaged by water in a pool or pond.


• If hoses and adequate water are available, leave sprinklers on roofs and anything that might be damaged by fire.


• Be ready to evacuate all family members and pets when fire nears or when instructed to do so by local officials.

BEFORE A WILDFIRE

• Learn and teach safe fire practices.
• Build fires away from nearby trees or bushes.
• Always have a way to extinguish the fire quickly and completely.
• Never leave a fire—even a cigarette—burning unattended.
• Obtain local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas.
• Use fire-resistant materials when building, renovating, or retrofitting structures.
• Create a safety zone to separate the home from combustible plants and vegetation.
• Stone walls can act as heat shields and deflect flames.
• Swimming pools and patios can be a safety zone.
  

  Atsion Fire, August 4, 2007, along Route 206 in Hammonton. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE IMAGES
• Check for fire hazards around home.
• Install electrical lines underground, if possible. Keep all tree and shrub limbs trimmed so they don’t come in contact with the wires.
• Prune all branches around the residence to a height of 8 to 10 feet. Keep trees adjacent to buildings free of dead or dying wood and moss.
• Remove all dead limbs, needles, and debris from rain gutters.
• Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers and keep them away from the house.
• Keep chimney clean.
• Avoid open burning completely, and especially during dry season.
• Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.
• Make evacuation plans from home and from neighborhood.
• Plan several routes in case the fire blocks escape route.
• Have disaster supplies on hand (see emergency checklists for more info)
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Portable, battery operated radio and extra batteries
  • First aid kit and manual
  • Emergency food and water (see emergency checklists for more info)
  • Non electric can opener
  • Essential medicines
  • Cash and credit cards
  • Sturdy shoes
• Develop an emergency communication plan.
• In case family members are separated from one another during a wildland fire (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
• Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the “family contact.” After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.