Update from Kate - It’s Fire Season. How to Prepare and Support Others.

Update from Kate

It's Fire Season. Here's How You Can Prepare Yourself and Support Our Firefighters

The smoke engulfing the entire Bay Area is a constant reminder of the enormous scale of the devastation experienced by our neighbors and the dangers faced by our first responders. This is the time to come together as a community, to make sure all of us are prepared and informed, and to offer support to our firefighters and first responders who risk everything to keep us safe and to the victims of wildfires.

Here’s a checklist of steps to take to get started.

This checklist was prepared by FireSafe Marin, our local nonprofit organization that works to keep us informed, help us prepare our homes and communities, and know when and how to evacuate safely. For more information, please visit FireSafe Marin.

√ For Marin County Fire Weather, you can bookmark these sites:

• Red Flag Warnings 
• Fire Weather information

√ Are You Registered to Receive Evacuation Notices? Here’s How. Do It Now!

Evacuation preparedness must begin before a fire strikes.  All Marin Residents can receive evacuation notifications (Alert Marin) and emergency information (Nixle) by cell phone or VOIP by registering at the links below:

• Alert Marin
• Nixle 

You can learn more about evacuation preparedness here.

√ We’re in This Together – Protect Your Community, Protect Your Home

If your home is to survive a wildfire, it's important that you

• Create Defensible Space 
• Take steps to "harden" the structure

√ Get informed about Marin County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

You can read it at the link below:

• Marin's Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)

Strategies to Limit Your Exposure to Wildfire Smoke.

• Minimize the amount of time spent outdoors.
• Avoid vigorous outdoor activities. When air quality is unhealthy cancel or reschedule sports practices and games.
• Keep indoor air as clean as possible. If air conditioning is available, set it to recycle indoor air. Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.
• High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can reduce indoor air pollution.
• Avoid smoking tobacco, vaping, using wood-burning stoves or fireplaces, burning candles, incenses or vacuuming.
• Drink plenty of water to maintain proper hydration.
• Individuals with asthma should follow their asthma action plans and keep their quick-relief medicine close at hand.
• People with chronic respiratory conditions are most at risk and should consider leaving the area until healthy air returns.
• Listen to your body and contact your healthcare provider or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, severe fatigue, dizziness, or worsening of asthma or chronic respiratory illness.

For health updates, follow @MarinHHS or MarinHHS.org.

For up-to-date information about fires in California, go here.

For up to date information about air quality in the Bay Area, go here.

Here's One Way You Can Support Our Firefighters and Victims of Wildfires.

Over 90 Marin firefighters have been dispatched away from their families to fight the devastating fires throughout the state. There are 32 fire stations in Marin County with staff on ready alert to respond to our emergencies here. All fire stations in Marin County are accepting Amazon, Visa and Amex gift cards in denominations of $25, $50, $75 and $100. The goal is to get at least $100,000 in gift cards to those firefighters who have lost their own homes and the other victims of the Camp and Woolsey fires.

Donations will be accepted through the end of Thanksgiving week. Gift cards are best received between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Marin Professional Firefighters Local 1775 will work to be sure the gift cards get to supporting organizations and to displaced victims.

Stay alert and stay safe. Preparation is the best way to face the clear and present threat of wildfire. As always, keep in touch with me at ksears@marincounty.org.