Preparing yourself and your community for a wildfire emergency requires a multi-pronged approach. Individuals and agencies need to be ready to react by developing plans, mutual-aid agreements, resource inventories, training and emergency communication systems. All of these make it possible for a community to respond effectively to the threat of wildfires as a whole.
How do get the ball rolling? Implementing FireSmart practices is one of the many ways to make sure you and your community are ready. The FireSmart Community Recognition Program provides you with the information you need to implement practices tailored specifically to your city or local government’s needs. It gives you information on who needs wildfire training, what kind of evacuation procedures need to be in place and how your community can get certified.
How can emergency crews and community leaders get ready? Having FireSmart-certified firefighters and community leaders is an absolute must in locations threatened by wildfire. Together, they identify critical fire-suppression areas, they map out your community’s evacuation procedure, and they prepare emergency resources for disaster relief. A Certified FireSmart community will have all of these plans in place and will make all necessary information available to you.
How can you get yourself ready? In the case of a wildfire, the Last-Minute Wildfire Checklist is a great resource for homeowners whose homes are under threat. It contains evacuation tips, instructions for removing combustibles, and what to check for before leaving your home in an emergency.
Whether your a homeowner, firefighter or community leader, knowing what to do during an emergency is critical, and a Local FireSmart Representative is someone all parties can go to for information. You can find your local representative here.
To make sure you, and all agencies needed in the event of a wildfire, are prepared, apply to become a FireSmart community today. Click here for the step-by-step guide.