As a 14 year veteran in the California fire service, I have seen my fair share of what a wildfire can do. There is something sobering about standing in a forest of chimneys and nothing else. As a young fireman I spent my late teens and early twenties chasing wild fires before settling with a metropolitan fire department.
The devastation left behind from a fire storm has long lasting physical and emotional scars for those affected. The housing boom combined with a 3 year drought in the west has made for some serious fire conditions. Most of you will only see these fires on TV and think this is not something you have to worry about wrong attitude.
California requiers a 100 ft clearance around your home. I am here to tell you that if your home does not have that there is little or nothing a fire engine can do in the event of a major fire storm. I can't tell you how many homes we had to walk away from because there was nothing we could do.
Everything these folks owned is gone. Pictures and other valuable belongings are gone forever. Things you take for granted. Do not think for a moment that this can not happen to you and your property.
Get to know your area practice a couple of ways out of your neighborhood. The Oakland hills fire is a great example and that wasn't even a forest. The fire jumped form home to home burning thousands of structures in a matter of hours.
Do not play hero. Get out when told to do so, if anything you are getting in the way of the responding units not to mention you are putting firemen at risk by possibly forcing them to rescue you should something go wrong.
Have a meeting place for your family. Many fires especially in Southern California get huge in a matter of hours. To make things worse the Santa Anna winds fuel the chaos have your kids of driving age meet you in a safe place.
Have your important documents in one place for quick access.
Allow your pets a fighting chance. Allow them access to escape routs.
Subscribe to information accounts. For example the LAFD has a twitter account.
Fires are getting bigger in areas that have never had to deal with this. Many local fire departments are not ready for this change. Places in the south are experiencing fire behavior that is new to them.
August, September and October are the real test for wild fires in California. Be ready.
Roberto
Unusual Commercial Loans Connected
916-847-7212
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