By Suzanne Sparrow Watson
On a summer day in July 1998, my husband and I stood on a dirt lot imagining our dream home -a home where we could live out the rest of our days. After a long construction period we were finally able to move into our home in the spring of 2000 and from the jump Alan was in love with the house. To him it represented more than lumber and sheetrock – it symbolized the culmination of our hard work. He always insisted he would only leave it feet first, and in fact, that is what happened. On the other hand, I had a much more practical relationship with the house. Twice I talked him into selling it, although both times we took it off the market shortly after listing it. I resented the time and maintenance that the house required, not to mention the pool that goes unused for years yet requires weekly visits by the pool company. But in the past eighteen months, as I have learned to live in the house by myself, I have come to appreciate it more. I have actually found myself talking to the house. Well, actually, it’s been more like begging, as in, “Please don’t let your pipes burst”, or “The A/C just has to keep going all summer!”. I realize now that the house has provided me a place of refuge, a source of pride and quite literally has kept my feet warm at night. I believe a home is much like marriage – it provides a sense of comfort, security and solace that you might not fully appreciate until it’s gone.
Owning a home certainly brings with it some responsibilities, but what you get in return is unmeasurable. Which brings me to the first reason for the blog today: the horrendous wildfires in Los Angeles. As of this writing, more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed, most of them single-family homes. The sheer devastation of such a wide swath of homes is hard to comprehend, and harder still to imagine that each of those homes represents a heart-broken family. Most possessions can be replaced, but the memories and family heirlooms lost in the fires can’t be filled by anything one can find at Target. Those homeowners now face the daunting prospect of a years-long rebuilding process, and it seems that many may not want to rebuild at all. One major real estate company has estimated that as many as 70% of the homeowners will move rather than put their families through the long process of reconstruction. I understand that. Even without the red tape that Los Angeles is known for, the building process is stressful. The conventional wisdom is that you get a bid from the builder and then plan on twice as much money and three times as much time to complete the project. In the meantime, the homes that provided shelter and comfort are gone and the sense of loss has to be enormous.
The second thought I had while watching the fires and evacuations was: what would I grab if I only had minutes to leave my house? I think I know what’s important, but I’ve heard numerous people these past two weeks lament that in their panic they grabbed useless things and forgot some essentials. When we lived in California, I had a “go box” that contained all our important papers, but I gave that up when we moved to Arizona. I’ve been reminded that regardless of where we live, we need to be prepared. So, I began searching for suggestions of how to plan for an evacuation and have compiled the following list of “Evacuation Essentials” from my readings. I hope you find these suggestions helpful:
- People and Pets: make sure to gather everyone together in one spot. You don’t want any “Home Alone” situations in an emergency. If there is time, each person should pack a small suitcase with a change of clothes and toiletries. Pets should be crated, if possible, and their food, bowls, leashes and medications packed up with them.
- Paperwork: These days, with so many of our documents online, we don’t have to worry as much about putting so many papers together in our “go bag”. Just make sure that you have online access to your bank, utilities and insurance companies. I created an account with my homeowner’s and car insurance carrier just so I can access my agent’s phone number and my policy documents at any time. What you might consider putting in the bag are passports, Social Security cards, birth certificates, and any other document that would be needed if you have to prove your identity.
- Prescriptions: Medical supplies, including prescription and nonprescription medication, eyeglasses or contact lenses, and vitamins, should also be included in your “go bag”. A great idea I read was to have your doctor write out a prescription for any medication you take on an ongoing basis and then make a copy of it to keep in the “go bag”.
- Personal Items: Thinking ahead of time about which mementos hold the most value can be helpful in an emergency evacuation situation. While you probably won’t be able to take everything, knowing which irreplaceable items matter the most can be helpful. Also, taking a video of your home, including what is contained in closets and cupboards, is valuable in the event you need to substantiate your insurance claim.
- Photos – I read about a fair number of people who left their wedding and baby albums behind when they evacuated. You may choose to put photos that are irreplaceable in your “go bag”. Or you can take the time to scan them and upload them to the cloud. When I wrote my family history several years ago I did just that, so those photos are safely stored. But I’ve realized that between the “old” photos and the advent of the smart phone cloud storage, I still have hundreds of photos that need to be scanned. I guess I’ll add that task to my summer “to do” list.
- Phones and Personal Computers: Of course, phones, computers, and chargers are critical as these might be the only way to get updates on your situation and provide a link to the outside world. Your personal devices are also great resources for storing copies of the previously mentioned documents, such as your passport and medical records.
- Plastic: Last but certainly not least, take all of your banking and credit cards with you during the evacuation. Some cash can also prove helpful, as it might be the only payment method available if power goes out or ATMs are unavailable.
It’s a lot to think about, but a bit of preplanning could come in very helpful. I’ve certainly realized that I’m not as prepared as I should be. Now that I know what to do, I just need to do it. Perhaps I’ll look up “How to Motivate Yourself into Making a “Go Bag”. In the meantime, I will continue to appreciate the gift that is my house, and I will pray that the thousands of people now standing on blackened ground will soon find a new sense of home.
