DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Disaster can strike when you least expect it which is why it's important to make a plan before an emergency occurs. Be sure to create an emergency plan that is tailored towards your family’s needs. Identify threats that are most likely to affect you and your home and decide a course of action from there. Be sure to communicate and rehearse your emergency plan with each member of your household.
MAKE A PLAN. Be sure to develop an emergency action plan with all family members (including pets). Consider both medical, physical, and dietary needs of everyone in the household.
BUILD A KIT. Gather enough supplies to last you and your family a minimum of 72 hours. This includes non-perishable foods, water, medication, pet supplies, etc. Be sure to choose foods that your family will eat depending on their dietary needs or restrictions.
COMMUNICATE YOUR PLAN. Be sure to communicate and rehearse your emergency plan with each member of your household.
SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS. Enroll in Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), and the Emergency Alert System (EAS). These notification systems will immediately notify and inform you of local, state, and national emergencies.
Prepare for a wildfire.
HAVING A FIRE WISE HOME
Wildfire is part of our lives in the West. If a wildfire is close to homes, fire crews have to make split-second choices about which homes are safe for them to protect and which are not. That choice is often based on actions you take before a fire ever happens. The Grand Junction Fire Department urges Mesa County residents to use Fire Wise ideas to create a defensible space around their homes.
IMMEDIATE ZONE (0-5 FEET AROUND HOME) Try walking around your home with your arms open wide and one hand on your home. You should be able to walk all the way around. Have extremely few things that can catch fire in this area.
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Use rock or gravel as ground cover, not mulch or plants.
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Move items that can burn away from the home.
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Trim branches away from windows and roof.
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Cover all vents with a 1/8-inch metal screen to keep embers from blowing into your home.
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Clean the gutters of your home regularly so embers cannot catch leaves on fire.
INTERMEDIATE ZONE (5-30 FEET AROUND THE HOME) Keep this area lean, clean and green. If this area has steep hills, add to the recommended distances below.
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Keep your lawn mowed and well-watered or use xeriscaping to reduce fuels near your home.
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Trim tree branches 6-10 feet off the ground and 10 feet from your roof.
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Create space between trees so the tops are 15-20 feet apart.
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Remove plants from underneath trees. Ladder fuels allow fire to easily climb from the ground into tall trees.
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Clear away dead or dying plants and plant waste.
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Use sidewalks, flower beds, paths and patios to create fire breaks.
EXTENDED ZONE (30-100 FEET AROUND THE HOME) Fewer and fewer properties have this much land, but if you do, care for it as part of your defensible space.
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Remove dead or dry plant material.
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Keep the tops of trees 10-15 feet apart.
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Increase the distance between plants if the area is on a slope.
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Remove vegetation next to storage sheds.
FIRE WISE CONSTRUCTION AND LANDSCAPING
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Choose fire-resistant building materials when possible (metal, stucco, composite shingles).
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Enclose the space under decks and porches to keep embers out. Never store items underneath.
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Consider your driveway. Could a fire truck easily reach your home and turn around?
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Clean nooks and crannies in windows, siding and roofing. Embers can easily land there.
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Landscape with high-moisture, low-resin or low-sap plants.
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Store woodpiles, propane and other things that can catch fire away from your home.
Take an active role in getting your home or business prepared in the event a wildfire threatens your property, loved ones or animals.
