Disaster Kleenup Specialists would like to offer some wildfire safety tips to keep your Monterey home safe this season. Every year, wildfires threaten the safety of homes, families, and communities and we’re hoping these tips will help protect you from the devastating effects a fire can have. Keep your family and home safe by knowing what to do before, during, and after a wildfire.
Safeguard your Home and Property
Most of us are familiar with Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote:
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
That is definitely true when it comes to wildfires. The good news is that there are many things you can do to safeguard your home and family from their menacing grasp. Begin with taking these precautions at home:
- Make sure there is no dead vegetation or debris within 10 feet of your house. Be sure to check under decks, porches, and gutters.
- Keep flammable material, such as wood, propane tanks, and gasoline, at least 30 feet from your home and any outbuildings.
- Keep gardens, shrubbery, trees, and lawn well-watered.
- Trim all bottom tree branches to at least 6-10 feet from the ground.
- Repair or replace any missing or damaged roof tiles.
Create an Emergency Plan
Wildfires often start and spread quickly, and it’s best to have a well-laid out plan before one happens. These tips will help you to create your family emergency plan:
- Plan escape routes. Sit down with your family and discuss at least two ways to escape from each room in your house.
- Create an emergency kit. Your emergency kit should contain important items such as medication, identification, important documents, and even some shelf-stable food, as well as water. Keep your emergency kit in a safe and accessible place.
- Have a designated meeting place. Decide on where to meet up out of harm’s way.
- Have periodic drills. It’s important to go through the motions of escaping from a fire before one actually happens. It is easy to forget the steps of a written plan during the stress of a fire. Practice, practice, practice.
Stay Safe During a Wildfire
It’s important to know what to do when there is a fire in your area. Be sure to stay updated as much as possible on the status of the fire and be aware of necessary instructions from your fire department. Fill bathtubs, pools, and other containers with water and connect garden hoses. Locate your emergency kit and other important items and put them in your vehicle. Prepare to evacuate, even before official evacuation orders have been issued.
We can Help with the Clean Up
These wildfire safety tips can help keep your Monterey home and family safe. Wildfires can be devastating. Let Disaster Kleenup Specialists take the stress out of the aftermath. If you have experienced damage from fire, smoke, or water, we can help with the restoration. With over 30 years of service and with an experienced team that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, we are ready to help with any cleanup job.