SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As the threat of a wildfire looms, and with it, potential power shutoffs, experts recommend you always be prepared for the worst. Depending on where you live, though, those preparations might look different — if they even exist at all.
It was a family-filled Monday night inside the Hernandez home in Solana Beach. Helen's grandson and his cousins were enjoying some buttered pasta, just like she did in the same kitchen at their age.
"All my life. Since 1960," Helen said, when asked how long she's lived there.
Helen considers herself lucky. She can only remember one time when she had to evacuate her home — about 20 years ago.
She was not prepared.
“We just kind of went with what we had and just put jammies in a bag and we took off with the kids," she said.
Helen admits, she's not ready now either. However, that might've changed after ABC 10News reminded her she's in the at-risk area according to San Diego Gas & Electric's power shutoff map.
“Well, I better go to the store and go get something," she said.
In Helen's defense, coastal communities are not as commonly impacted compared to other inland neighborhoods.
For example, over in Poway, it's a much different story for Josh Young and his family.
“I have go bags that are just set to go, in a moment's notice, with just all your basic survival and communication tools," he said.
Cal Fire says a 'Go Bag' should include:
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food & 3 gallons of water per person
- A map with at least 2 evacuation routes
- Necessary prescriptions or medications
- A change of clothes & extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
- Extra car keys, credit cards, cash, or traveler’s checks
- A first aid kit & sanitation supplies
- A flashlight & battery-powered radio with extra batteries
- Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
- Pet food & water
This has been Josh's standard since 2018, after the Camp Fire in Northern California scorched the city of Paradise.
“Burned my mom's home, and a lot of close friend's homes burned in that fire," he said. "So, I think I take it probably a little bit more serious.”
Josh has a van packed and ready with anything his family might need in the event of an emergency.
“Ten gallons of fresh water here. A refrigerator-freezer that’s running all the time," he pointed out. “Everything we might need to survive.”
The Youngs use that van anyway to camp, so it's meant to be self-sustaining, but Josh said it never hurts to have a plan.
“You don't wanna get yourself stuck in a situation where, yeah, you have to be responsible for your family, and you're not set up to do that," he said.
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