Disaster Planning
Canyon Hills 92532
Disaster Planning– If you want to minimize the impact of a disaster it will require planning and preparation on your part. You can't prepare for a disaster after it's happened.
Fire - is the 6th leading cause of injury and death in the United States. It is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 15 at home. 1. Get out of the house. You need to plan backup escape routes. 2. Call 911 to summon help. 3. Only after the first two steps are done, should you attempt to fight the fire. Smoke builds quickly in a house and can cause you to collapse. Isolate the fire to a room if you can. Open doors and windows allow air to the fire and will make it burn faster.
Fire Outside - brush fires come up canyons and along creek beds where there is dead plant material. The HOA works every year on brush clearance around the perimeter of the property, but the government agencies protect the creek habitat and allow the fuel to build up. Airborne sparks can enter openings under the eaves and in the roof of your house. We have the new cement based roofing tiles which helps a lot. You could cover roof vents with a fire blanket, close off under eave vents, and cover exposed windows on the side of the fire with fireproof materials but all of this requires planning.
Earthquake - There is no way to predict an earthquake. Fire is the most common hazard following an earthquake. Our community has the newer building safety standards for earthquakes. I don't expect building colapse. A more common problem is broken glass from mirrors, windows, dishes, glasses and tall furniture tipping over. You need shoes or slippers to wear. And you will need to know where and how to shut off the gas, electric, and water. Once the gas is shut off, don't turn it back on because all the pilots could leak gas.
Landslide/Mudslide
- heavy continuous rains on steep hillsides and improper drainage can all cause slope failure. If it occurs at night, you might not know it until it breaks the windows on your house and the mud flows in.Thunderstorm - strong winds, lightning, flash floods can topple trees, start fires and cause mudslides.
Terrorism and Civil Unrest - you may need to just leave quickly. There may be a quarantine or a curfue over the entire area.
Crime in Progress - Home invasion, car jacking, intruder entering your home. Don't fight over things. You have insurance to replace things.
Responses - what should you do, what did you plan for?
Attack/Fight - you want to survive, your family and loved ones are in danger and threatened, and you have sufficient(?) training to deal with the fire or the intruder.
Stay Put - bad things have happened, but you have a secure place to gather that is reasonably safe until help arrives. You believe this is your best option.
Retreat - you are outnumbered, not prepared, and don't have the training and resources to address the threat. The fire is spreading, get you and your loved ones out of the house.
Panic - you don't know what to do, you can't move or make logical decisions because your emotions have taken over and you have no skills or training to help you. Your lack of preparation or training could get you killed.
Do you know how to shut off electricity to your house?
Do you know how to shut off gas to your house? Do you understand what will happen when you turn it back on without the proper training?
Do you know where the water shut off is located and do you have a tool to shut it off?
Do you know that pool water has too many chemicals in it. Don't drink it. It would dehydrate you and maybe do damage to your kidneys if used long-term.
Do you have a way to communicate with your family without using a land line or cell phone.
Do you have a fire extinguisher of the right type. BC's are for vehicles. ABC's are for homes. Will your hoses reach into the house? A spray pattern is better than a high pressure stream.
Do you know how to fight a grease fire?
Do you have a way to get out of second story windows?
How do you store hazardous materials? Under the sink, in the garage? Do you understand what happens when they are mixed when something smashes their containers?
Can you provide immediate medical service to your family and neighbors should they become injured?
A crisis is not the time to figure out what's important. So, prepare accordingly.