Evacuation Plan In Place.

I'm sure you've noticed all the fires in Utah lately.  We sure have.  In the last week one fire was close to my brother's house, and then more recently, a fire was about a mile from my sister's house.  We already have 72 hour kits in place, food storage, stuff to use in an emergency.  But many of the evacuees had only 5 minutes to get the heck out of dodge.  And so I knew it was time to get an evacuation list put together.  I don't assume a fire will come close, but it could.  And we live fairly close to railroad tracks.  A train car carrying dangerous chemicals derailing can be cause for an evacuation.  So many different things could be the cause.  But it's the action required when there is a cause that gets me moving.  What would you and your family grab if you had to leave immediately?  What would you grab if you had 15 minutes?  What about 30 minutes?  What if you were just waiting to see what happened, unsure if you would be evacuated?  What is most important?  What could you actually get into your vehicle, assuming you could take your vehicle, when you evacuate?  Here is my list. 

Obviously the most important things of all are the people.  Then we take only what is on the list depending on what kind of time we have.  The safe covers much- important documents, adoption papers, money, passports and the computer's back up hard drive.  It's heavy and so that's what either Daniel or I will get.  We will have one kid on the washer and dryer getting 72 hour packs down and the other 2 loading them in the truck.  You will need ID, make sure you grab your wallet!  We will do a practice run to see how we fit 5 minutes of stuff into the actual 5 minutes.  Listen to where the evacuation site is.  Follow directions!  Take phone numbers of loved ones so you can tell them you are safe.  We have our evacuation list posted on the front door, the garage door and next to each phone.  A knock on the door or a reverse 911 call will be the way to find out you need to evacuate.

We still need to tattoo our goats for ID.  We don't have the goats on our list because we don't have any way to transport them.  Even if we did, we would not have the time needed to hook up a trailer and get all 4 goats into it and then get all of our necessary items for human survival.  It's the human survival that trumps everything.  Even if you were to get out with only the clothes on your back, that is the best evacuation ever!!