Stay Safe: Wildfires Can Happen Anywhere, Anytime #OKfire

With several active wildfires affecting the Western United States, it is important to know how to stay safe with information and resources from Prepareathon™. Wildfires can happen anywhere in the country and at any time of year. If you see a wildfire approaching, call 911 to report the fire. Do not assume that someone else reported it and follow these tips from Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for a Wildfire Guide: Stay informed with local alerts and warnings, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Wireless Emergency Alerts, or a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio. Remove flammable items, such as firewood piles and portable propane tanks, within 30 feet of all structures. Remove dry or dead vegetation from up to 100 feet around your home. Learn and practice evacuation routes from your home or business to a safe area. Add these routes to your family emergency communication plan. The best action to protect yourself and your family is to evacuate early.  If ordered to evacuate: Leave immediately. Help firefighters, if there is time before you leave. Some of the things to help include closing up the house and leaving lights on for visibility, as well as moving flammable materials to the center of the home, away from windows. You can also leave hoses connected to a water source, so they are available for the fire department. Text SHELTER and your ZIP code (e.g., SHELTER 20472) to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area. Follow local media for more information on shelters. If trapped in your home: Call 9-1-1 and provide your location, if possible. Please be aware that during a major event such as a wildfire, emergency services may be overwhelmed, and a response may be delayed or impossible. Turn on the lights to increase the visibility of your home in heavy smoke. Keep doors, windows, vents, and fire screens closed. Keep your doors unlocked. Move flammable materials (e.g., curtains, furniture) away from windows and sliding glass doors. Fill sinks and tubs with water to assist in dousing small smoldering fires, which may pop up. Stay inside, away from outside walls and windows. For more information on wildfire safety, review Prepareathon’s How to Prepare for a Wildfire guide, or watch the When the Fire Starts video. You can also read about California’s use of FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alerts during the recent wildfires.