An emergency preparedness plan is always important, especially during wildfire season, and if you’re in a rush to evacuate you should probably have a grab-and-go bag packed and ready to go at a moment's notice.
According to the Government of BC, the probability of damaging wildfires has increased in recent years, due in part to the effects of climate change, and this year is no exception.
With over 1,200 wildfires since the year began, and 58 evacuation orders and 83 alerts currently in place, it's time to get prepared for any situation.
Rather than waiting for an order or an alert to be issued, every member of the family should have a bag packed and organized, just in case.
Did you remember to pack a phone charger? First-aid kit? Non-perishable food and water? Snacks for your furry friends? Important documents?
A lot of things can be going through your mind when you’re being rushed, and in some cases, it can be critical to not leave anything important behind.
According to Deputy Chief of Emergency Management at the Kelowna Fire Hall, Sandra Follack, these are some of the essential items that should be in your grab-and-go bag:
You can find a full list of things to pack in your grab-and-go bag on the BC government website.
“The one thing that's really important about your grab and go kit, if you have one at home but you're at work, do you have something that you can take from work to meet your kids and family elsewhere? They might be separated from you for a couple of hours, so you might want to make two just in case,” said Follack.
When you're in the midst of evacuation, it's also important to have an emergency contact in place, to let someone know where you are and where you are going.
If you don’t yet have something packed in your car or home, it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead.
An entire guide for wildfire preparedness can be found here.
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