A Halloween to Remember - Witch Creek Fires Continue

While most of the fires have been put down, the Witch Creek fire continues to burn in the east on Palomar MT. and nearby areas. It is anticipated that all fires will be in the mop up stage on Halloween, one cannot ignore the irony of Halloween and the Witch Creek fire colliding in San Diego this week.


Thousands have lost their homes. More have been injured, or displaced by one of the many fires in San Diego County. And then there are the victims of Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura. Truly a ghoulish coincidence.


Between now and Thanksgiving, let's focus on coming together and healing. No we can't rebuild the homes that fast, but we can start rebuilding our lives. We can reconnect with family and friends and strengthen those bonds with love. We can put this behind us and focus on a time of Thanksgiving, followed by a season of joy and a Happy & Prosperous New Year.


I have heard some compare San Diego's Disaster Response to the response in New Orleans. While some comparisons are valid (most notably the difference in Federal Response) most are not fair to compare. Why? We, San Diego, did NOT have EVERY major road destroyed; ALL WATER gone; ALL SEWER gone; ALL ELECTRICAL gone; ALL GAS gone; ALMOST ALL INFRASTRUCTURE gone. Yes we had a major disaster, "A" major disaster. But we still had all the other resources to respond to the disaster.


I am so proud of how the emergency was handled. How the citizens of San Diego responded. How the inter agency efforts worked. How musicians and entertainers just showed up at shelters and entertained. That's the San Diego spirit!!!


Now if we can only get CalFire to get off their high horse and work with the Military, everyone in California would be safer.

Bob

If You Need to Evacuate ... What to Bring.

If you need to evacuate from a Fire Zone in San Diego County ... the following are the key items to pack and bring according to the Burn Institute. You can link to them using this link: Burn Institute

Here is the list:

Burn Institute News
October 22, 2007
Contact:
Diane Sparacino858.541.2277

WILDFIRE EVACUATION INFORMATION

WHAT The San Diego County Fire Chiefs’ Association and the Burn Institute recommend the following Wildfire Evacuation Tips for residents of San Diego County:

EVACUATION PLANNING TIPS

(#1) MAKE A LIST OF IMPORTANT ITEMS Always keep sturdy boxes handy and make a list of important items you need to take with you during an evacuation:

• Prescriptions, medications

• Eyeglasses

• Important financial docs, tax records, photos, etc.

• Homeowner’s/Renter’s insurance policies

• Jewelry

• Pet, pet food, leash (and carrier, if possible)• Child’s favorite toy

(#2) PREPARE AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT If you have time, assemble an Emergency Supply Kit that includes items you’ll need in the case of an evacuation:

• Three-day water supply (1-gallon per person per day)

• Three-day food supply

• Change of clothing and shoes

• Blanket and sleeping bag

• First aid kit

• Battery-powered flashlight, radio, batteries

(#3) ESCAPE TIPS

• Close all windows and doors in the house.

• Leave exterior lights on to help firefighters find your house through the smoke.

• Do not leave garden sprinklers on – it wastes critical water pressure.

• Park your vehicle facing out so you have the best visibility when you have to leave and drive with your headlights on.

• Designate one emergency meeting place outside the home and one outside the neighborhood where family members can all meet.

• If fire overtakes you, you are much safer inside the car than out.

**The keys to surviving a Wildfire are:

Defensible Space, Defensible Homes and Evacuation Planning.

SPECIAL NOTE: James Floros, Burn Institute Executive Director is available for interviews to discuss wildfire evacuation protocol and related wildfire information. To schedule a phone or on-camera interview, contact Diane Sparacino at the number above.

© Burn Institute.