The sound of sirens, helicopters and even planes are enough to freak me and the whole neighborhood out. Especially since summer is here. Summer means fire season.
I’ve lived in Michigan where I’ve had to go to the southwest corner of the basement when a tornado was on the way. Although I was a kid at the time and I relied on my dad to figure out which corner was the southwest one. Apparently that’s a myth according to the Storm Prediction Center (https://www.spc.noaa.gov/). Any corner is good as long as it’s away from a window and heavy objects on the floor above or near you that could fall on you.
I also lived in Florida and saw both a white and a black tornado while I was driving in my dad’s car. I hightailed it home, but of course Florida homes don’t have basements. I think I just crossed my fingers and drove the opposite way of the funnels.
No go-bag is necessary for a tornado, just shelter.
However here in Lake and Mendocino Counties go-bags are a must. But what to put in them? What to take in case of fire evacuation?
The first time I was evacuated, I didn’t have a car. I had just moved from Sri Lanka (think tsunami, not fire) and hadn’t bought a car yet. My neighbor came to my door and said, “Get ready, we’re evacuating!” She had gathered a closet full of clothes and her 10 cats (yes 10) into two cars. I had the crowded backseat for myself and my 107 pound dog, Toby, his food and a jug of water. We went to the Mar-Val grocery store parking lot and waiting until the all-clear signal. Actually, my neighbor jumped the gun and evacuation wasn’t even necessary. Toby didn’t mind the excursion but I did.
I’ve been lucky with a lot of disasters. I lived in Sri Lanka, but when the tsunami happened I was home in California for Christmas. I was in LA when the Loma Prieta earthquake (1989) in San Francisco ripped the Bay Bridge in two. I lived in LA but was in Marin County when the Northbridge earthquake (1994) happened.
Earthquakes scare me silly. But fire…that brings major fear. Too darn unpredictable.
During the Mendocino Complex Fire (2018), I evacuated to a friend’s house in Clearlake. I had a go-bag at the time. My Prius was packed with important papers, cash, medicine for me and Toby, his food, water and food bowls. I think I took some family photos off the walls and three albums that mark my family from my great grandparents’ era through my high school years that my mom had put together. Plus I made sure that I had a full tank of gas.
Since then my go-bag contents have been put away, papers filed in a file cabinet, pictures hung back up on the wall, cash spent and Toby has gone over the rainbow.
Now I have a VW Bug and cats who adopted me. I also have cat carriers that I have to clean before I shove their dainty paws into them. I’ll have to do a test run once the carriers are clean to see if they will fit into the backseat (is there such a thing in a 20-year-old VW Bug?) and see if there’s any leftover room for an actual bag of clothes, food and water.
Deciding on what documents to bring, I consulted https://firesafemarin.org/prepare-yourself/evacuation-guide/evacuation-go-kit/
I hadn’t thought of bringing a N95 mask, or a headlamp, a flashlight, cell phone charger, eye glasses, battery radio and extra batteries or even a first aid kit. Plus contact LEAP (Lake Evacuation & Animal Protection) in advance for evacuation shelters that harbor people and animals.
Seems like a lot to do and a bit overwhelming. Plus expensive. But then so is losing everything in a fire, like so many Lake and Mendocino county residents have.
My cats are my first priority. And myself and my computer. What about pictures? Hard drives? Medical records? On and on. I often think about what if I get the alert to evacuate when the cats, Noodle is outside? No problem with Claire, she stays inside. Will Noodle come when I whistle, when I shake their treat box? Oh gosh, I forgot the litter box, have to get that into the car! And the kitty litter. Gads.
What IS a girl to do? I think I need a nap.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard is currently a freelance journalist for the Record-Bee and various other publications. You can email her at lucywgtd@gmail.com
