I’m sure you’re all aware of the fires that have been happening in Utah County. The smoke here has been INSANE, and this past week has definitely made me reflect on how prepared my family is for emergencies. As close as we are to the fire, we thankfully have not had to evacuate, though our city has told us to start thinking through a plan, in case it gets to that point.

So- if you suddenly had to evacuate- would you be ready?? I thought my family was pretty prepared- until I really started thinking through evacuating and realized we have so much to work on! So ask yourself- if my family had to leave our home TODAY, would you be ready?

*One of the basic things to have in order are your 72 hours kits! In some cases like this fire, you have some time to prepare and grab things, but that’s not always the case! In another location of Utah, a fire started because of the misuse of fireworks, and people were told to evacuate immediately. You might literally have only 5 minutes to grab anything, and having your 72 hour kit in order will make things easier!

*Make sure you have your wallet, keys, phones and chargers! This seems obvious, but you definitely don’t want to be locked out of your house and without your ID! You’ll also want to make sure you have cash, because you just don’t know what needs may arise!

*Grab any important documents, such as the title to your home/car, birth certificates, social security cards, wills, etc. You definitely wouldn’t want to lose those in a fire, or leave them behind for looters to ravage through.

*Medical needs. Insulin, epi pens, benadryl- whatever needs you might have, make sure they’re taken care of!

*Clothing and Hygiene. You’ll want to grab sturdy shoes, and basic clothing for a few days (don’t overthink it! Think comfortable!! And think about the weather you’re dealing with!). Deodorant, glasses or contacts/solution, a toothbrush/paste- don’t leave behind these basic hygienic items.

*Know where you’re going to go! Do you have someone nearby with whom you can stay? Will you need to go to a nearby shelter? Make a plan and make sure everyone in your family knows what that plan is.

*Take pictures of every room, closet and drawer in your house. For insurance purposes, you want to have a record of everything in your room!

*Write all these things down on a checklist! In the heat of the moment, it’s going to be hard to remember to grab things like your cell phone charger, glasses, or car title.

I think many of us don’t prepare for these things because we don’t think it will happen to us, or we feel too overwhelmed at the thought of everything we have to do, so we don’t even start. But it’s better to start somewhere than to not be prepared at all. If all you can do right now is to gather your important documents, than that’s better than having absolutely nothing together! Hopefully you’ll never need to evacuate- but if you do, get prepared!