Sarah CB Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 We're in BC - right where the forest fires are burning and our street has been put on evacuation alert; which means we have to be ready to leave in a moment's notice. We have the truck hooked up to our trailer and I've packed a bag with a couple of changes of clothes for each of the kids. The trailer is pretty self-contained and we already have sleeping bags, pillows, etc. in there. I also let the kids each pack a backpack with special things in it. That is also in the trailer. Packing to evacuate immediately is a no-brainer. We would just grab the pets, the hard drive, and our birth certificates and passports and run. However, being on evacuation alert is completely different. I keep gravitating to my books... I've already taken pictures of each shelf. I also boxed up all of our history and literature books for the coming year along with Tapestry of Grace and The Well-Trained Mind. I haven't boxed up anything else yet and I'm not sure that I'm going to. If I keep going I'm afraid I'll end up packing up the whole house. So, what would you bring if you had to evacuate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Our photo albums/scrapbooks. The most recent bank statements and cc statements. The checkbooks and any extra checks we have. Cell phones and chargers Address books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Lets see....my computers - we have all our pictures on them, so I'd be sure to pack the drives (the monitors and keyboards can stay), dh's guitars, any photo albums and home movies, my bill and health insurance files. Plus what you already have. I figure that even if we lost everything else, I'd have the memories, the current living essentials, and the ability to find whatever else we needed with those things. Hope you don't need to evacuate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 You've listed the important things (what about medications)? I just wanted to say I'll pray for you guys. At the end of the day, leave when they tell you to leave (just listening to the radio and hearing how many people ignore evacuation orders). Stuff is just stuff. Stay safe. (I hope I don't sound callous saying stuff is stuff. I have family in the area and I know how hard it is to leave homes with the possibility of loosing them. I'm truly sorry you're going through this.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 All listed above and birth certificates, SS cards, marriage certificate. Pictures would be the first thing I packed. I'm so sorry you're having to do this. I hope you don't have to evacuate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfbourne Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Computers digital camera scrapbook bibles checkbooks dog food clothes important documents (though they are in a fire safe box I wouldn't want to test it) A couple toys for the kids Some books (maybe 5 per person) Travel crib for the baby Very similar stuff to a short vacation (plus important documents and scrapbook). Most of what I own is replaceable when the insurance check comes in if the house is burned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 You've listed the important things (what about medications)? I just wanted to say I'll pray for you guys. At the end of the day, leave when they tell you to leave (just listening to the radio and hearing how many people ignore evacuation orders). Stuff is just stuff. Stay safe. (I hope I don't sound callous saying stuff is stuff. I have family in the area and I know how hard it is to leave homes with the possibility of loosing them. I'm truly sorry you're going through this.) Thanks, Rose. It's funny, because I really am not worried about the "stuff" aspect of it when it comes right down to it. We were in Victoria when we found out about the fire and we drove 9 hours to get home (the highway is closed so we had to come through Kamloops). The whole way we were thinking that if we could just hook up our trailer and grab the essentials we wouldn't care about the rest. And, if they came knocking at my door right now I'd just go - there would be no looking back or second-guessing. What's weird is having all this time to walk through my house and consider whether I should throw this or that into the trailer or into the back of my van. None of it really matters, but then I notice the big binder full of art work from all the kids from their first finger paintings to pictures they painted last week... See - if I was running out of my house it wouldn't be something I would stop and pick up, but I'm just sitting here with too much time on my hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 All listed above and birth certificates, SS cards, marriage certificate. Pictures would be the first thing I packed. I'm so sorry you're having to do this. I hope you don't have to evacuate. Thanks, Kalah. I hope we don't have to evacuate, too. I'm praying for rain :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 Computersdigital camera scrapbook bibles checkbooks dog food clothes important documents (though they are in a fire safe box I wouldn't want to test it) A couple toys for the kids Some books (maybe 5 per person) Travel crib for the baby Very similar stuff to a short vacation (plus important documents and scrapbook). Most of what I own is replaceable when the insurance check comes in if the house is burned. I thought about the pets, but not the pet food :) The fire safe box was one of the first things I put into the trailer - I wasn't willing to test that, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 We're in BC - right where the forest fires are burning and our street has been put on evacuation alert; which means we have to be ready to leave in a moment's notice. We have the truck hooked up to our trailer and I've packed a bag with a couple of changes of clothes for each of the kids. The trailer is pretty self-contained and we already have sleeping bags, pillows, etc. in there. I also let the kids each pack a backpack with special things in it. That is also in the trailer. Packing to evacuate immediately is a no-brainer. We would just grab the pets, the hard drive, and our birth certificates and passports and run. However, being on evacuation alert is completely different. I keep gravitating to my books... I've already taken pictures of each shelf. I also boxed up all of our history and literature books for the coming year along with Tapestry of Grace and The Well-Trained Mind. I haven't boxed up anything else yet and I'm not sure that I'm going to. If I keep going I'm afraid I'll end up packing up the whole house. So, what would you bring if you had to evacuate? :grouphug: no advice. BTW, your blog title is kind of ironic in this post. I noticed it just as I clicked "reply." Hope things go well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in the Kootenays Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I think you've got most of the important stuff. Taking photos and adding receipts for any insurance claim will make life easier if you actually lose the house. I'd add some paintings and stuff I've collected in my travels and some favourite clothes. Not on the list of "must take things" but if I had time and room, I'd add them. I have family in the area too. Praying for cooler weather and no winds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 hi - we live in the high desert of SoCal, where wildfire season has become pretty much year round. there is only one road in and out of our home. part of our drill is to leave when they give the warning, not when they tell us we have to, because its just too easy to get stuck in gridlock, and have no other way out. so, depending on what the roads are like for you leaving, sometimes leaving early is a Really Good Idea. Another approach might be to move the trailer now and park it at a friend's out of the fire's projected line of progression.... good luck! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBC Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Well, whatever you decide to take, don't forget to take it. When we had the Kelowna fire 6 years ago we were away at a wedding. My parents went and packed a box with our photo albums, but when the call to evacuate happened, it was a big panic, and everybody needed to get out ASAP. I guess my parents were so flustered that they left the box behind! Thankfully, our house was fine (I think 263 burned). Anyway, hope you don't have to leave, but if you need to, you're welcome to park your trailer in our driveway. Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I didnt read the rest. But, scrapbooks, food and water, lots of clothes, because sometimes it could be a wk or more. Games were something I did not think of. The more stuff you pack, less stuff you have to buy. We just plan it as a week vaca. Plan on kids maybe staying in the whole time, if smoke is bad. First warnings, I leave like others mentioned to avoid backups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Mom Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 We’ve been through this a three times in the last few years (Southern California). I’d throw some Kleenex in the car. You may not realize how much ash you are breathing in and tissue is a helpful, especially with the kids. Have alternate routes to your destination mapped out. Twice our route to safety was suddenly closed because the fire hopped a freeway. I would also suggest having water for everyone. Sometimes we were stuck in evacuation traffic for hours and the hot, ash filled air really dries you out. Praying for your safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Praying that everyone and the houses are fine. You have the most important things listed. As long as we have our kids, photos and computers we are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 What's weird is having all this time to walk through my house and consider whether I should throw this or that into the trailer or into the back of my van. None of it really matters, but then I notice the big binder full of art work from all the kids from their first finger paintings to pictures they painted last week... See - if I was running out of my house it wouldn't be something I would stop and pick up, but I'm just sitting here with too much time on my hands. I felt the same way last year during our hurricane evacuations. We had several days to pack. We ended up photographing much of our furniture, just in case, packing many of our school books, computers, financial paperwork, some work clothes and boots (in case our home was destroyed and we needed to sort through things), my husbands tools (he's a carpenter), gas masks (mold would be an issue), pets, and ds got enough room for what he deemed important. It was hard. Best of luck and be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 photos. BTDT :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 hi sarah - the fire news looks grim. how are you? ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I hope things are OK for you Sarah. Forest fires are scary scary things! We now pack every fire day, and I get the kids to pack a small backpack with things that are special to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Looking for you, too, after watching the CBC tonight. Oh wait, I just saw your little green light on another thread! How are things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan25 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I didnt read the rest. But, scrapbooks, food and water, lots of clothes, because sometimes it could be a wk or more. Games were something I did not think of. The more stuff you pack, less stuff you have to buy. We just plan it as a week vaca. Plan on kids maybe staying in the whole time, if smoke is bad. First warnings, I leave like others mentioned to avoid backups. That was one thing we didn't think of when we evacuated for Katrina. We took summer clothes. We were out of our house for 9 months! It is the South, but we still got cold!! :tongue_smilie: So don't forget a few alternate items like long sleeved things or jackets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennefer@SSA Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I haven't read all the responses but we have had to evacuate for hurricanes in 2 of the past 3 years. The first time I forgot immunization records (if you do immunizations). Other than that: Computer hard drive scrapbooks wedding album/wedding dress 10 days worth of clothing per person as much school material as I can fit in 2 huge rubbermaid bins I take a list of everything that we are using for school that year so that if I do have to re-order I will know exactly what I need. Everything else I can lose with no problem...except the very special antique bed that has been in my mil's family for several generations...but I can't fit that in the back of my Suburban! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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