#fire preparedness

[oldfangirl81]

PSA

This is for those that live in California in particular. We are at the start of fire season. Now is a good time to make sure you are prepared. Seconds can make a big difference in getting out safe.

Make sure you have an emergency bag packed. But if you don't then keep a bag where you put your dirty clothes. Clothes can be washed when you are safe but at least you'll have clothes you know fit/you wear regular that can be grabbed quickly.

If you can put extra meds in it the emergency bag do it. If not then another option is to always keep your meds/medical supplies in a box/bag you can grab easily if you have to evacuate.

Figure out what works best for up to the minute information for you. CalFire does have a Twitter account.

I use an unofficial app because I am extra nervous from past fires.

Biggest thing is if you get told to evacuate then do it! Staying in areas under evacuation increases the danger to both first responders and you.

And make sure you have at least kn95 masks because even if you are safe from the fire the smoke is not something to play with. And it can travel distances.

And here is official information link:

[gaasubap]

Mask train your pets so they don't freak out when you have to protect them from smoke or smog

[csolarstorm]

This is BB and Casper. They're our boys. Like brothers they roughhouse and bicker and ultimately love each other. They are also very lucky to be safe and sound!

Last Friday, the shed right next to their enclosure caught fire. We were all inside at the time. A neighbor we didn't know helped contain the fire early by calling 911 and bringing over her hose when ours melted.

Then the fire department came and rushed us off the property. We only had time to secure the cats already in the house. When they finally let us back in, we found BB and Casper hiding in the enclosure behind an old mattress - scared, but safe.

We should have had cat carriers ready to evacuate all of them, but this was all totally new to us. So my first PSA is to make sure you have carriers or leashes for all of your pets. Here's a useful link to read about pet disaster preparedness.

Here's the second PSA. Despite the heat of summer, do not use an extension cord to hook up an air conditioner.

That's how our shed caught on fire. My cousin did the same thing and melted his extension cord. If you do try this, do your research first, and at least make sure the amperage of the cord matches with the amperage of the air conditioner.

Here's a link for that research. And here's a news segment that talks about how common it is for this mistake to lead to fires (and a few ways to prevent it).

We owe so much to our neighbor, the fire department, and really the whole street that came out to watch and support us while we waited for the fire department to do their thing. I cannot express how eternally grateful I am that the fire only burned a small area, and everyone, including BB and Casper, is safe and happy.

[memenewsdotcom]

California Park Fire grows, now 6th largest

[angry-teacher-says-fuck]

Hey Science side of Tumblr. What if we found a secure way to suspend packages of natural flame retardants like baking soda (or something better if you know of it) from trees throughout forests in, say, California, so that if the region caught fire, the casing would be destroyed, releasing the material and slowing the fire? Would this work?

Also, programs that plant trees are great and all, but what about programs to plant native flame-resistant plants along forest floors?

[tornadoquest]

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For October 19 - 26, 2024 #science #weather #climate #climatechange #hurricane #wildfire

Greetings to all. I’m glad you stopped by. The tropical Atlantic is quiet for the time being, but that can change. There are several weeks left in the 2024 Atlantic and Pacific hurricane season. I’ve plenty of hurricane preparedness information for you. Along with this week’s US Drought Monitor update there are several good reads, so let’s get started. Tornado Quest micro podcast for October 19…

[etakeh]

whoop.

She ran calling WIIIIILD....fire

This message brought to you my Michael Martin Murphey

Here we go, a more useful bunch of information than “GO GET A RESPIRATOR AND PANIC WITH ME”.  I appreciate this person so much.

I hope this information gets around as much as the post I made about cold weather dressing - this is just as important, just in the other direction.

I was guilty of not having enough carriers for all of my animals - I’ve since rectified that.

I also ordered respirators today.  They aren’t that expensive!  You can get them on the Evil Site of Evil for ~20 and up.  Make sure they either come with the filter pads, or you get some.  It’s not always standard.

The following links were provided in subsequent posts:

Wildfire planning resources 

Evacuating with animals

Emergency supply kits

Pre-evacuation prep steps - includes a checklist

If you can’t leave in time

Alix Powell @thatpowellgirl Y’all remember last year‘s wildfires? @MinkasaurusRex [hey that’s me!] brought to my attention that is wildfire season again, and I think that calls for a safety thread. These graphics showcase last yeardrought drought versus this years drought. This year has the potential to be much, much worse.

I’ll put the rest in the Read More.

Keep reading

[vvpamedia]

If Ye Are Prepared . . .

It began about 1:00 PM on a Tuesday.  My husband and I were preparing to take our usual taco run to Hesperia for Taco Tuesday, when I noticed the cloud smoke that had appeared above our house.  Other observers called it a “mushroom cloud” over our community of Wrightwood.  I went outside and took a picture because it was an unusual color and had appeared rather suddenly. We had been monitoring the Line Fire that started in Highland and had moved up the mountains towards Running Springs, Arrowhead, and Big Bear -  not too far from us. But the fire had not been moving in our direction.  I checked the reports to see if a new fire had started nearer to Wrightwood.  The Bridge Fire seemed to be closest, but the reports showed that it was still miles away.  So, my husband and I went to get our taco lunch.  And going all the way to Hesperia also meant doing a bit of grocery shopping as we were out of a few essentials like milk and bread. 

On the way down, at the intersection of Hwy 2, which is the main road to Wrightwood, and Hwy 138 which travels perpendicular to Hwy 2 and led to Interstate 15 in Cajon Pass, there was smoke pouring up from West Cajon Valley and traveling up Hwy 2.  We wondered where it could be coming from but decided it was probably a product of the fires on the other side of the pass.  Hwy 138 goes over the Interstate and up into those mountains.

When we came out of the market at about 2:30 PM, the South side of the Victor Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains were covered with clouds of smoke.  There were great plumes of smoke pouring off the tops of the mountains on the East Side of Cajon Pass.  My husband and I stopped to take pictures.

Toward the pass was nothing but smoke clouds.  But toward Victorville and North on I-15, it was essentially clear.  However, the wind was quickly moving the smoke in that direction.  And the source seemed to be the San Bernardino Mountains not the San Gabriel Mountains where the Bridge Fire was burning.

When we started home, we were seeing conditions we had never seen before in Wrightwood during any other wildfire we had experienced.  Even the Sheep Fire that started on the edge of town and ravaged the landscape on Highway 2 below our community didn’t produce this much smoke.  And the smoke had a distinct red cast to it. We took photos out of the front window of our car as we drove up the highway.  Soon we were inside the cloud of red smoke and ash.  It certainly had an otherworldly feel as we drove home.  And it seemed much later than the 4:00 PM it actually was when we arrived home.  All the streetlights and business signs were lit.  People had their nighttime headlights on.  And when we opened our car door, we were greeted by the chirping of the crickets who thought it was night already.  We were surrounded by smoke and ash that can only be described as “mists of darkness” that shielded us from the light of the sun.

Ironically, the following Sunday in Sunday School our teacher talked about the mists of darkness in the world that can lead us away from the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  These mists of darkness are described in the Book of Mormon as, “the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.”  (1 Nephi 12:17).

And she shared a quote from our prophet, Russell M. Nelson to help us navigate the mists of darkness in our lives. “Here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing! The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has for each of us.”

In the end Wrightwood was spared any major destruction. Although no evacuation warning came, by 5:00 PM there was a mandatory evacuation order issued for our entire community. As we left, most of us feared the worst as did many of the responding firefighters. According to the official reports, it was probably only the cooperation and prior preparation of our community that saved our homes. (There were several news stories done about this including the one from the LA Times featured here: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-09-23/bridge-fire-wrightwood-wildfire-protection-home-hardening

It wasn’t the fire we knew about and could see in front of us that ultimately almost destroyed our community. It was the fire we couldn’t see that displayed "uncharacteristic behavior" that rapidly advanced toward our location. And probably because we were committed enough to be prepared, our neighborhoods survived.

Modern scripture tell us that, when the mists of darkness we call life’s challenges come, preparation is the key. We have been told that “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).

The primary preparation needed is also set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein it says, “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come” (D&C 87:8). And the most holy place of them all is the House of the Lord – the temple. That is one reason why my husband and I volunteer to work there once a week.

Being prepared saved our community. And it can save you from the challenges you may face in your own life. I encourage you to find your own holy place in which to stand.

[westvalleyfaultph]

Davao City Takes Proactive Steps to Raise Awareness on Fault Lines Through “Walk the Fault” Activity

Scan the QR code to get this post on the go. In a collective effort to increase public awareness of fault lines in Davao City, the Office of the Civil Defense XI (OCD XI), in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) and the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), organized a…

[redgearguru]

Essential Survival Tips for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Did you know that nearly 90% of wilderness survival situations come from human mistakes or not being ready? This fact shows how key it is to be prepared for unexpected challenges outdoors. As someone who loves the outdoors, I know that learning survival skills is crucial for staying safe and strong in the wild. Skills like building shelters, starting fires, and purifying water are essential. They…

[aspiringbelle]

This is a good point.

Are there newer sirens that can relay audio messages or other tones? I know some colleges have them.

I hate this headline. And people are just going to read this headline and not the article and get angry, and that makes me even more annoyed.

The sirens in question are tsunami sirens. They’re down by the coast (not near where the fire was) and unsurprisingly direct people to higher ground. If locals heard them, that’s where they would go. Imagine if you were in the Midwest, and a wildfire was approaching so they fired up the tornado sirens. You wouldn’t evacuate. You’d go in the basement or the bathroom, because that’s what those sirens mean. Turning them on would send people into a death trap.

It’s the same problem here. The thing with emergency management is that different emergencies require different solutions. You don’t pull a fire alarm for a tornado, you don’t fire up the tornado sirens for a tsunami, and you don’t set off the tsunami sirens for a goddamn wildfire.

[seth-the-giggle-fish]

I just received my Fire Evacuation cards from @katy-l-wood today and they're the perfect size to keep in my wallet (and the wallets of my friend's who don't yet know that they're going to get a card of their own)

Check out this post direct from the source for more information on the Evacuation Cards

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 49 of 2023

Title: Fire the Flamin' Facts Authors: Phil M. Glover Tags: Emergency Preparedness, Fire Science Rating: ★★★★ (4 Stars) Subject: Books.Emergency.Disaster Prep

Description: The investigation of fire scenes is a specialist role and the author of this book, Phil Glover, has passionately undertaken that role on a professional basis since 1989. Following on from his 40 year Fire Service career in New Zealand and Australia, Phil set up his own Forensic Fire Investigation company in early 2006 and conducts fire scene investigations all over Australia and has clients in Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. Phil has built a reputation as an excellent fire scene investigator through his attention to detail, thoroughness and the fact he is not afraid to stand by his conclusions, which he supports with factual and physical evidence. This book contains a wealth of knowledge based on the author's experience gained at actual fire scenes he has attended throughout his Fire Service and post Fire Service career and has been summarised in a manner the ordinary home owner will easily understand. Phil writes with conviction, honesty and 'tells it like it is' and while the theme of the book has a serious intent, Phil has softened that by relating some light hearted anecdotes and experiences. The fact this book has been written from a position of experience and not just theory or someone else's experiences makes it unique and sets it apart from most other books with similar themes. Globally, an estimated 9million fires occur in homes every year, resulting in an average of 80,000 deaths, 700,000 fire related injuries and a damage cost in excess of $450billion (US) and the accurate investigation of the causes of fires assists communities, companies and governments to take steps to reduce the instances of fires and reduce the consequences of the fires that do occur. An established expert witness, Phil's evidence has been proven and accepted by all levels of Courts in New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia with a high degree of success for his clients. "My Fire Service career has occupied my entire adult life and has not been 'just a job' but a passion. A passion that was instilled in me by my father who was a member of the volunteer fire brigade in my home town of Stokes Valley, New Zealand for many years". Phil M. Glover Review: This book had a really good overview of what to do/not to do in an emergency. From cooking fires, to evacuation plans... laundry fires to even the dangers of sunlight (clear bottles acting as lenses IS an issue!) A lot of the stuff may seem like common sense, but there are gaps in everyone's knowledge that this book can help make you and your family safer, and it's written in a really down to earth/easy to understand way!

[townpostin]

Loco Pilots Receive Crucial Emergency Training at Tatanagar

Two-day workshop equips railway staff with vital accident response skills Civil Defense team leads comprehensive safety and rescue instruction for South Eastern Railway personnel. JAMSHEDPUR – The Tatanagar Loco Pilot Training Center recently hosted a two-day workshop aimed at enhancing the emergency response skills of locomotive pilots from across the South Eastern Railway network. Civil Defense…

[deadpresidents]

"What emerged in two interviews with Trump, and conversations with more than a dozen of his closest advisers and confidants, were the outlines of an imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world. To carry out a deportation operation designed to remove more than 11 millions people from the country, Trump told me, he would be willing to build migrant detention camps and deploy the U.S. military, both at the border and inland. He would let red states monitor women's pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans. He would, at his personal discretion, withhold funds appropriated by Congress, according to top advisers. He would be willing to fire a U.S. Attorney who doesn't carry out his order to prosecute someone, breaking with a tradition of independent law enforcement that dates from America's founding. He is weighing pardons for every one of his supporters accused of attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, more than 800 of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury. He might not come to the aid of an attacked ally in Europe or Asia if he felt that country wasn't paying enough for its own defense. He would gut the U.S. civil service, deploy the National Guard to American cities as he sees fit, close the White House pandemic-preparedness office, and staff his Administration with acolytes who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen."

-- "How Far Would He Go", TIME Magazine's interviews with Donald Trump, April 30, 2024.

I know we're saturated in coverage of Trump and it's easy (and probably better for our mental health) to usually ignore most of the articles when we see them, especially since he's so full of shit and infuriating. But it's also important to recognize that he is going to be the Republican nominee for President and he could absolutely be elected in November, and if you thought his first term was scary and dangerous, you need to understand that in a second term he's going to have people around him that are better prepared and VERY willing to do the crazy shit that he wants to do to this country. They aren't even hiding the fact that they are seeking vengeance against political opponents whom they feel have wronged them, and are ready to fundamentally dismantle the democratic foundations that are barely holding this country together after nearly 250 years.

Just look at what Trump says about the people who he incited to attack the United States Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election and halt the peaceful transfer of power that has happened every four years since 1789:

"Trump has sought to recast an insurrectionist riot as an act of patriotism. 'I call them the J-6 patriots,' he say. When I ask whether he would consider pardoning every one of them, he says, 'Yes, absolutely.' As Trump faces dozens of felony charges, including for election interference, conspiracy to defraud the United States, willful retention of national-security secrets, and falsifying business records to conceal hush-money payments, he has tried to turn legal peril into a badge of honor."

Oh, and please note that Trump -- a former President of the United States and possible future President of the United States -- said on the record in these interviews with TIME: "There is a definite antiwhite feeling in the country and that can't be allowed either." We are at a point where political leaders are outright saying that in this country again, and it's because of Donald Trump.

So, take the time to recognize that Trump is straight-up telling us the country we're going to be living in if he wins again in November. And understand that your vote matters -- and WHO you vote for matters -- because, as I've been saying for years now, ELECTIONS HAVE FUCKING CONSEQUENCES.