Written by Brandy Villanueva, Los Angeles County, Area G, Disaster Management Area Coordinator

It’s 2 a.m. You’re sleeping. Suddenly, there is a pounding on the front door. You wake up startled, walk to the front door and look out the peephole to see two uniformed law enforcement officers standing there—in a hurry. You slowly open the front door, and the officer begins, “There is an emergency. You are in an immediate evacuation zone. You have five minutes, so please grab your family and leave immediately!”

You try to process what you just heard: “There’s an emergency … evacuate immediately … only five minutes.” As you start to get your bearings, your mind slows down. Your body has taken over as you hastily grab your wallet, keys, family and pets, and head to the car with the final thought, “It’s just a precaution. I’ll return home in a couple of hours. My family and I will be safe, and nothing will happen.”

While evacuating, you realize the magnitude of the emergency and that you may no longer have a home to return to later. Safely away from the disaster zone, your fears are confirmed; your critical documents (passports, birth certificates, insurance, bank accounts) and a lifetime of mementos, photos and memories are now rubble and ash.

This was the reality for so many residents fleeing the recent firestorms. Some had little time; others had none. The stories of individuals and families narrowly escaping the flames with nothing more than the clothes on their backs are a terrifying reminder that no one is immune from disasters. In Los Angeles County, hazards such as fires, floods, land movement, earthquakes and tsunamis turn into disasters, resulting in life-altering impacts.

HERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE:

A FIVE-MINUTE EVACUATION EXERCISE

  • Set a timer for five minutes. Write down all the things in your home that you feel are important and would want to take if you cannot return home.
  • Look at your list and determine what is critical, and number those in order of importance. For a list of important papers, visit alertsouthbay.com/emergency-preparedness.
  • Make a binder with copies of all these documents and include them in your go-bag.

THREE KEY REMINDERS

  1. Create a plan that includes family communication notes and a five-minute evacuation list. Map out how to grab items quickly and who will grab them. Make copies of critical documents.
  2. Build an emergency supply kit for the family, including pets.
  3. Register for official emergency notifications to receive emergency alerts by texting ALERTSB to 888-777 or visiting alertsouthbay.com/register.

* Alert South Bay is a regional alert and warning program for 14 South Bay cities.

FINAL THOUGHT
You have the benefit of time right now to craft your five-minute evacuation list and prepare yourself and your family for the “this will never happen” and “we will be back in a few hours” events such as the Lahaina, Palisades and Eaton fires. Start preparing today. •