Preparation for emergencies is a non-stop process; Are you ready?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The recent fire tragedy in Lahaina, this week's mudslides and flooding in southern Nevada and California from Hurricane Hilary, and the heavy summer tornado activity across the country, and fires currently ravaging Eastern Washington and Northern California, have been a reminder of how vulnerable people are and how necessary emergency preparation is.

As we learned during the Caldor Fire, planning is important, but it isn't just a "one-and-done" process.

It was Benjamin Franklin who said, "By failing to plan, you are preparing to fail” and Winston Churchill said, “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” Even though quotes are from previous centuries, they are still valid today.

Not all emergencies are fire-related, though those are forefront this time of year. Important for all emergencies is making sure you're signed up for emergency alerts

Reverse 911/Emergency Notifications

RAVE is the El Dorado County emergency alert system. it provides a number of ways in which the county may contact the community in the event of an emergency, such as evacuations due to wildfires or hazardous material spills, or urgent law enforcement operations. The system may be used to deliver alerts when there is a threat to the health or safety of residents.
To find out more about RAVE, or to register your home phone, cell phone, and/or email address go to ready.edso.org.

In addition, those in South Lake Tahoe can sign up for alerts from the City as well but do so in tandem with the County. Sign up here https://www.cityofslt.us/1017/Sign-Up-for-Notifications#.

Douglas County - https://douglascounty.onthealert.com/Terms/Index/?ReturnUrl=%2f
Carson City - https://www.carson.org/government/departments-a-f/fire-department/emergency-management/emergency-not...
Washoe County - https://www.washoecounty.us/em/RegionalAlerts.php
Placer County - https://www.placer.ca.gov/2426/Placer-Alert

Fires

In 2022 there were 68,988 fires in the United States which burned 7,577,183 acres. So far in 2023, there have been 36,672 fire incidents with 1,772,898 acres burned. With a very wet 2022-23 winter in California, there were not been very many large fires until recent lightning storms. To date, there have been 4,759 fires, with 161,065 acres burned.

While numbers are not what they have been in recent years, the public needs to use this time to prepare.

Over the years, South Tahoe Now has covered the importance of wildfire preparedness, referring often to the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team which encourages homeowners and residents to take responsibility for preparing their families, homes, and property for the next wildfire.

Defensible Space and Chipping

Defensible space refers to the managed landscape surrounding a home that reduces the threat of a wildfire. Defensible space allows wildland firefighters to more effectively defend a home, and in the event help is not available, improves the likelihood of a home surviving without assistance.

Non-Combustible Zone
The non-combustible zone refers to the first 0-5 feet surrounding your home and should contain no combustible materials. Remove pine needles, leaves, firewood, and combustible vegetation. Read last week's tip on how to create and maintain this zone.

Lean, Clean, and Green Zone
The lean, clean, and green zone refers to the next 5-30 feet around your home. Vegetation in this area should be well-separated, healthy and irrigated. Remove dead plants, reduce combustible materials, and keep vegetation healthy and green.

Wildland Fuel Reduction Zone
The wildland fuel reduction zone refers to the area beyond 30 feet of your home. In this zone, create horizontal and vertical separation between trees and shrubs and remove pine needle accumulations that exceed 3 inches.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) and Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) have joined forces and developed a new chipping program for residents in South Lake Tahoe and Meyers.

Requests are now being taken through an online portal that can be accessed on both the SLTFR and LVFPD websites at South Lake Tahoe or Lake Valley.

Go-Bag

A Go-Bag is an evacuation bag that contains a three-day supply of items you would need to safely evacuate your home. These bags are prepared in advance, before an emergency, and are kept in an easily accessible place.

When creating your Go-Bag, first add the essentials:
Cash and extra credit cards
Medications and prescription glasses
Water and non-perishable food
Personal toiletries and clothing
Flashlight and batteries
First-Aid kit
Pet necessities

Next, add some additional items:
Hand sanitizer/wipes
Books and magazines
Trash bags
Rain poncho
Blankets
Laundry detergent
Rubber gloves

Have your pet items as part of the Go-Bag procedure and consider having a separate one for them that contains bowls, food, water, medication, and a bed/crate.

Red Flag Warning

When there are strong winds and low humidity, the chance for rapid-fire spread of wildfire increases. There are special restrictions in place when there is a Red-Flag Warning. In a Red Flag situations, all fires are banned in the Lake Tahoe Basin including gas and propane grills along with any other wood and charcoal fire bans.

Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities Tips

#1 - Create a Go-Bag
#2 - Make a Family Evacuation Plan
#3 - Talking to kids about wildfire
#4 - Make a home inventory list
#5 - Identify your home's ember vulnerabilities
#6 - Create a home hardening plan
#7 - Create a non-combustible zone
#8 - Create Defensible Space
#9 - Up your preparedness game
#10 - Connect Virtually

There is more preparedness information here - https://www.readyforwildfire.org/