Wildfire Drills

rachylou

My neighborhood is having a wildfire evacuation drill in about an hour and I’m preparing. I was already sorta half prepared, with earthquake stuff and a third of my medical equipment packed in an insulated bag for the training class I did when I got my CGM a few months ago. And I do have my most important documents gathered. BUT I see now it’s a megaton of stuff. And I only have two little bottles of water for me and Lilypup and three mini cokes for low blood sugar emergencies, no food. No extra clothing. It WON’T fit in one bag and I wouldn’t want to be carrying it all for miles.

I’m thinking I need a flea market shopping cart, an insulated bag to go in it (if such things exist), and maybe I should always have one of my sleeping bags stored in its stuff sack (right now what I’ve got in my kit is an emergency bivy). And maybe find some little bags to try and compact all my medical supplies (which are in their original protective packaging - I don’t like to take it out until needed - it’s a fortune, and no, insurance doesn’t cover emergency replacement).

Is this too much? Would I be endangering myself in a fire? I guess I’ll find out.

6 years ago

Off Topic

22 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

rachylou

Veteran

And you know, I’ll need more water just to inflate my Frio bags to keep my insulin cool. Which would have to be done after evacuating. The logistics are something else, I tell you.

6 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

The Chronicle had an interesting article yesterday about people whose insurance companies were cancelling their policies if they didn’t do wildfire vegetation mitigation. One couple mentioned considered selling their home due to the high cost. It would be smart to keep everything in some kind of a cart that you can grab and run. In the Oakland fire in the 90s, people died because they lived where the roads were so narrow. I think about fire all the time.

6 years ago

Jane

Veteran

I guess others will have similar things to carry and prepare for, so I should think that there will be lots of ideas in the drill. I hope it goes well, it sounds a little stressful.

I hope that it goes according to plan and that it is helpful.

6 years ago

Anonymous

I would concentrate on your medical supplies and valuable documents, and not worry too much about the other stuff. In the event of a real wildfire, you'd be evacuated to a shelter where they have food, water, sleeping facilities, etc. It's scary to have to think about these things, but planning ahead can help alleviate at least some of the anxiety, so it's good you're doing this drill.

BTW, what's a CMG?

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Well, that was fun! Northside beat Southside on turnout. In some ways that’s not surprising and in others it is. Y’all will be interested to know there wasn’t a Nike shoe in sight. Almost pure New Balance and Keens.

Xtabay - That’s the conclusion we came to, we’ll depend on folks to hand out water. CGM = Continuous Glucose
Monitor. I can now just look at my phone at any time and know what my blood sugar is. With a regular finger-stick meter, esp at $1 a test strip, you have no idea what your blood sugar is most of the time.

JAileen - Routes out are a big deal. I mean, people park on the sidewalk just to let their neighbors get by on a regular day. And in the event of a mass evacuation, you can expect the major avenues to be at a standstill. My neighborhood is all really old people and young families. And let’s be honest, everyone is snotty. There will be a lot of deadweights making trouble and demands. I should maybe get a Radio Flyer or a wheelchair and some ear plugs.

Jane - Yes. We’ve come home with a shopping list. The drill was good. People were encouraged to bring their dogs for the drill: I think that was especially good. Lilypup got a cricket-flour treat from a lady. Lol. Score!

6 years ago

Anonymous

The CMG sounds like a huge improvement--don't you just love technology? I always felt bad about people having to do those finger sticks. What a pain--literally.

Glad to hear the drill went well, and that Lilypup got an exotic doggie treat!

6 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

A wheeled bag is definitely a good idea.

For your situation, there are small to large size insulated lunch bags, many of them quite adorable and/or stylish, and I think getting one of those and a cold pack just for your insulin is a very smart idea. You could also throw some ice cubes in the bag with the meds and cold pack in the event of an emergency. You could zip it up and stuff it in your wheeled bag with your important documents, some water and other meds, and other must-haves. I would recommend something smaller and lighter than the cokes for low glucose emergencies; maybe some candies? This would take up less space than the cokes, and would weigh less. Documents in a waterproof bag (like a ziploc).

As a bit of a "doomsday prepper" myself, I think it is very good that you are preparing for unexpected disasters. Hopefully you'll never need your "bug out bag"!

6 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

you guys are making me think...esp in light of the climate change thread.

what do you put in your bug out bags? we're in the upper midwest suburban area. i would like to be a bit more prepper but hubs is making fun of me.

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Cindy - yeah, the weight has me breaking down and contemplating buying a big bottle of glucotabs. They don’t taste that bad, but still they’re like chewing chalk. For me personally, I’ve never found anything better than mini coke. Nothing is as fast as liquid sugar and coke has a forever shelf-life.

Bj - the ZA (Zombie Apocalypse) is totally coming. Tell DH he doesn’t want to be Left Behind. Lol. I really believe in the bivy sac (morning dew is wretched), tarps (multiple) (again, morning dew is horrible), a bandana, a whistle with a magnifying glass (fire starter when the matches run out). Have also got a hand crank/solar radio with a USB port for charging devices. Collapsible bowls of a decent size for Lilypup (she has to be able to fit her nose in there). I’m still working on the bowls tho; she doesn’t like the smell of the rubber I don’t think.

6 years ago

Gretchen

Veteran

So glad you are prepping. I had this conversation with DH last month. We are good on earthquake preparedness with things in the garage and in an location under our deck if the house is not accessible. I'm also on a project to re-add our emergency kits to the cars. (we used to have, but when we sold, they weren't transferred.) As to wildfire, I'm assuming we will have limited time to plan, so will need to have access to basics and will go from there.

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Good stuff, Gretchen. Where to keep the kits is always a dilemma. When I lived in a third story walk-up over a carport, my thought was always that the car was a bad place for emergency supplies... it would be crushed if the building came down! But where else? ... Funny not funny, I figured I’d be most likely to survive being on the third floor, lol. Not so the downstairs neighbors. Ahem.

Right now, I’m pondering where and how to keep the stuff in my go-bag. It’s regular-use stuff. I need normal everyday access, but be able to pack it fast.

6 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Where I live it's about high water/flooding in spring and power outages in winter. The year before we moved, there was a power outage that lasted 5 days. We are high and dry, and have alternate heat sources should the power go out long term. (The people who owned the house before us were able to stay in situ when others had to evacuate.) I'm all for keeping a first aid kit in the car, and maintaining it. After years of carrying one, I had the opportunity to use mine last month in a situation. We have a first aid kit at home (a big plastic fishing tackle box) that we refresh every January. When we go on a prolonged family trip, we just put the box in the car. A cheap, light weight suitcase might work for your emergency kit?

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

That’s what my mum is doing, a suitcase. We saw others at the drill using rolling suitcases too. I’m thinking a giant flea market cart for myself tho, because I see myself carrying all this stuff for my mum, her neighbors AND my childhood best friend’s mum from further up the hill. I think about this. In an emergency, an earthquake, I’d really have to go up the hill to check on my friend’s mum. My friend and all her siblings are out of state. That’s four cranky old ladies to wrangle, lol.

6 years ago

Anonymous

Wildfires, earthquakes...no country for old ladies!

6 years ago

Anonymous

That's scary! Can you keep a kit (of non perishables) in the car?

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Yes, we have some things in the car. In many ways it’s the best place, but for the heat.

6 years ago

Anonymous

Get some glucose tablets. They are very cheap and easy to carry. Try some different brands. You may find one that isn’t too bad. I get mine at a Kroger’s grocery store in the pharmacy section and have tubes of them everywhere and have needed them.

6 years ago

Anonymous

To update I have learned a lot and stopped fingertip scar tissue from forming using my CGM. The glucose tablets are slow and the best thing is coke in small cans. I depend on that almost daily. I use fruit juice or those chalky tablets if the meter shows blood glucose dropping but not yet an Urgent Low when the meter goes nuts with beeping. There is something like an Epi Pen someone can use to give you a shot if you are passed out, but those are expensive and need a doctor’s prescription I think. Still they are cheaper than calling 911. I am reading your tips with interest as fire can be a danger. Lots of dead trees due to pine beetles and very dry air.

5 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I’m right there with you on the mini cokes. The pen is the glucagon pen. The only thing about them is they expire and go unused. For the first few years I had them and then learned I’m unlikely to ever need one. I’m not hypo insensitive.

I’m working on my emergency go-bag again this weekend. With all my medical gear and heat sensitive insulin... well don’t have room for much beyond the medical gear. I’m trying to devise a way to add another bag to my trolley, lol. What with covid, A LOT has been added to the recommended pack list.

5 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Oh right... I switched to a stair-stepper trolley. We live in hills with a lot of footpaths. It seems more stable to pull or push.

5 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

Ooh the stair-stepper trolley sounds like a good solution, Rachy! I've no helpful suggestions, but am impressed with how prepared you already are (so tricky to get everything you need packed in "limited storage", man :-((

5 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

It’s really rather real. The air has been full of smoke for a month. We’re surrounded on all sides by massive fires. This week, my old boss quit for the third time, lol. But he’s 70 something and is really concerned about being out and about. This year I’m driving around with sleeping bags in my car. Unlikely we’d be in a shelter what with covid. I’m thinking parking lot of the Target down by the water, but then looting could be an issue there... pretty crazy, what!

5 years ago

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