The fire raging just 15 miles away from National City is technically across the Mexican border but flames and sparks aren’t aware of that fact so residents have to be prepared for emergency warnings and potential evacuations, a fact driven home by the American Red Cross Lunch and Learn hosted by the city of National City on Dec. 4
Over the course of one hour, American Red Cross representatives Lysandra Diaz and Katherine Kummerer gave an overview of steps residents can take to prepare for potential fires, what they should do in the event of an incident and tips for recovery afterward.
“A wildfire is an unplanned, unwanted fire burning in a natural forest that moves unpredictably and is often driven by wind,” Kummerer said.
Typically they are fueled by unhealthy or dying trees and vegetation, then spread by embers to the surrounding area — a fuel source residents can keep in check to prevent fires from breaking out.
Diaz later added that there is potential for fires to break out inside homes with many residents telecommuting through the Covid-19 pandemic, possibly loading electrical systems with more devices than they can handle.
Residents, Kummerer said, should physically prepare outside their home for any type of fire by removing debris and dead or dying plant material to create 100 feet of defensible space; fire resistant landscaping and construction materials should be used when updating homes; and street numbers should be clearly marked for potential calls handled by the fire department.
She also said residents should regularly review their insurance coverage and be prepared to meet basic needs in the event of a fire and possible orders to leave their homes for safety.
“Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones: gather critical supplies and assemble a portable evacuation kit with three days of supplies. That includes one month of prescription medications for everyone in your household as well as pets,” Kummerer said.
The evacuation kit should also include a gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food items, a battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio, chargers for cellular phones, cash and a spare set of keys, comfort items, strong-soled shoes for walking over potentially hot ground.
Residents should also take care to safeguard critical documents ahead of time and create a copy of birth certificates, passports and Social Security cards, insurance policies, deeds and mortgages, loan documentation, photos and digital files of loved ones.
“Make a communication plan and create a contact card for everyone in the household — don’t rely on having them saved in your phone. If you are separated, a text is more likely to get through than a call. Plan a meeting spot ahead of time and establish an out-of-town contact to help reconnect,” Kummerer said.
In the event your household is ordered to evacuate, she said, “Shut all windows and doors but leave them unlocked.”
If time allows, remove all flammable window shades and curtains, move furniture to the center rooms, shut off gas at the meter and turn off pilot lights, shut off the air conditioning, gather and remove flammable items from outside the home, turn off propane barbecues, don’t leave water running.
“If you are in an area where authorities advise you to evacuate immediately, do not wait — just go” Kummerer said.
Diaz picked up the presentation to go over what residents should do after returning home, advising people to use caution when entering burned areas and avoid fallen power lines.
“Follow public health guidance on safe cleanup of fire ash. Children should not do any cleanup,” Diaz said.
Food that was exposed to heat, smoke or soot should be thrown out, she said, and any water that might have been contaminated should not be used for any reason.
“If there is no power, check the main breakers, inspect the roof immediately and distinguish any sparks or embers, recheck for smoke and sparks throughout your home, visually check stability of trees and look for burns on tree trunks,” Diaz said.
Damage should be documented with photos and residents should save receipts, those items will come in handy for insurance claims.
A full disaster preparedness template plan is available on the National City website at www.national cityca.gov/government/fire/fire-administration/learn- disaster-preparedness, as well as information on San Diego County fire and emergency resources.
