General Preparation Guidelines

Once evacuation begins, you will not be allowed back into an evacuated area. If you are not at home when the evacuation begins, neighbors and emergency crews may be the only ones who can evacuate your pets or livestock. If you are at home when a disaster strikes, you should be prepared to take all your animals with you when you leave. Leaving animals not only endangers the animals, but it also endangers people who try to return to their homes and the lives of emergency personnel trying to help animals. Make prior arrangements with family or friends who live outside of your area to house your pets and livestock in the event of an emergency. Participate in neighborhood and local disaster planning programs. Help draft neighborhood plans to help ensure the safe evacuation of each other’s pets and livestock during a crisis. During an evacuation, families may become separated. Every family should designate specific friends or relatives who live outside your area to serve as telephone contacts for family members. In forested areas, prepare your own property to withstand wildfires by cleaning out flammable slash and debris from your property, thinning trees where appropriate and removing trees and flammable items adjacent to your home and outbuildings. Contact your local fire department or the U.S. Forest Service concerning their specific recommendations on wildfire prevention measure.