My first thought was that we might be experiencing a New Year’s Eve earthquake; then I figured that the big booms that started shortly after dark on Dec. 31 were thunder, which made sense, given the rainy weather we were experiencing.
But the noise turned out to be freelance fireworks that continued in a steady series of explosions until after 1 a.m., despite the density of population, the danger of fire and the fact that amateur displays are illegal in all of L.A. County.
We Michiganders are accustomed to this kind of barrage only on Independence Day. Many Angelenos, it so happens, tend to see fireworks as an all-purpose means of celebration - holidays, Dodgers victories, etc.
This message brought to you my Michael Martin Murphey
Here we go, a more useful bunch of information than “GO GET A RESPIRATOR AND PANIC WITH ME”. I appreciate this person so much.
I hope this information gets around as much as the post I made about cold weather dressing - this is just as important, just in the other direction.
I was guilty of not having enough carriers for all of my animals - I’ve since rectified that.
I also ordered respirators today. They aren’t that expensive! You can get them on the Evil Site of Evil for ~20 and up. Make sure they either come with the filter pads, or you get some. It’s not always standard.
The following links were provided in subsequent posts:
Wildfire planning resources
Evacuating with animals
Emergency supply kits
Pre-evacuation prep steps - includes a checklist
If you can’t leave in time
Alix Powell @thatpowellgirl
Y’all remember last year‘s wildfires? @MinkasaurusRex [hey that’s me!]
brought to my attention that is wildfire season again, and I think that calls for a safety thread. These graphics showcase last yeardrought drought versus this years drought. This year has the potential to be much, much worse.
I’ll put the rest in the Read More.
This advice will read as though it is specifically targeted towards people in rural communities, and to an extent it is. However, none of us, even within cities, are without risk.
Be ready to run. Pack a “bug out bag” and keep it near the exit to your home so it’s easy to grab on your way out. Have each member of your household do the same.
If you need to evacuate before you have had time to pack a bug out bag, and you don’t know what to grab for clothing- grab your laundry hamper.
It’s full of things you’ve worn recently, you can wash them when you are out of harms way.
Get all of your important documents – birth certificates, the deed to your house, the title for your car, Social Security card, passports etc. and put them together in a safe place somewhere near the door you leave through so you can grab them as you go.
Delegate who is responsible for what tasks when it is time to get going. Who grabs the important paperwork? Who grabs the animals? Who grabs food and money? Make sure everyone knows their role.
Have a plan, know the plan, and practice the plan. It’ll feel silly, but I am completely serious when I say that you should have fire drills in your home.
Shut all of the doors in your home before you leave. Fire travels through buildings as it has access to pockets of oxygen, and if your home ends up being the battle ground of firefighters vs fire, it will have a slightly better chance of pulling through if each room is isolated.
Put a cup of water in your freezer and allow it to freeze solid. Once frozen, put a coin on top. After evacuation, you will be able to tell if you lost power and need to get rid of the food in your refrigerator and freezer based on if that ice melted and the coin sank into it.
If you do not have a vehicle, reach out to your neighbors or friends who live nearby and become part of their evacuation plan.
If you have pets, make sure that they are wearing collars that are properly fitted. Get them chipped if you can. If you can’t get them out with you, or if they escape in the midst of the evacuation, you may not have time to wait.
I highly recommend investing in respirators. You only get two lungs, so let’s try and take care of them.
I also recommend investing in a camping stove and dehydrated food- there are companies that specialize in emergency rations that a shelf stable for up to 25 years. I personally keep a week and a half worth of dehydrated food like that in my car at all times.
