This time last year, we were talking about rain and drainage issues. That feels like a lifetime ago…

The fires in Los Angeles were a wake-up call. I’m not sure why my family I waited so long to put together a fire evacuation plan for our household, but that crisis pushed us to finally sit down and make one, especially since we live in a (beautiful) area with lots of potential fuel for a wildfire. No matter where you live, I highly recommend creating your own.

We created a shared list in the Notes app on our smartphones, allowing each of us to update it as needed. The list prioritizes what to grab if we had only five minutes to evacuate. A middle-of-the-night evacuation order is always a possibility, and having a plan would help if we were groggy, panicked, and not thinking clearly.

1. Bacon the Cat comes first, along with his carrier and food (see obligatory cat photo below).
2. A folder with essential documents—passports, vital records, and an envelope of cash—is next. This folder lives in a safe, but most safes aren’t designed to withstand fires, so we wanted these items contained and easy to grab. Our shared note is encrypted, so we’ve included the safe combination for quick reference in case we need it under stress.
3. Those medications, family heirlooms, and jewelry that are irreplaceable or necessary are on the list as well.
4. Our important photos are stored in the cloud, so we don’t need to grab them. If you have irreplaceable physical photos or negatives, consider digitizing them (George’s Camera can help) or adding them to your list.
5. While easily replaced, a spare phone charger is worth keeping in your car or adding to your grab-and-go folder.

In addition to our grab-and-go list, we also recorded videos of each room in our home to document belongings and upgrades in case we ever need to file an insurance claim. These videos are safely stored in the cloud.

Lastly, we chose a designated meeting spot in case we’re separated during an evacuation and can’t reach each other due to cell service outages.

Many often wonder why their insurance keeps going up and up even though they are not in a high fire zone.  When you understand how the California FAIR Plan works, you will understand why! Click below to read this informative article from Bankrate explaining how it works.