Sandy City Fire Launches New
Wildland Preparedness Campaign
2011 is shaping up to be a powerful fire season. With that in mind, Sandy City Fire Department is launching a wildland preparedness campaign: "Ready, Set, Go!!!" Sandy City is one of eight cities nationwide to assist with the launch of this new and powerful safety tool.
This program will assist residents living in areas that are "high risk" when a wildland fire breaks out. Homeowners are encouraged to practice, "Ready, Set, Go!" to minimize damage to their homes and save lives.
Ready: Homeowners should ready their home by creating a "defensible space" 30-50 feet around their home. Homeowners should clear or trim brush, scrub oak, any other flammable debris to better assist firefighters in protecting their home. The plan also helps to identify "weak links" (ie. flammable roofs, outside vents, clogged rain gutters, etc.) in the home that homeowners can maintain to better protect their property.
Set: Residents are encouraged to prepare a wildland action plan that consists of interior and exterior checklists to better prepare them in the case there is an evacuation. Also, this step encourages practicing an evacuation plan in the event of a real evacuation. Preplanning evacuations help to minimize confusion and stress.
Go: Do not hesitate to evacuate early. By leaving early, you will give your family the best possible chance of survival. Leaving early will also help to keep roads clear for fire and emergency. If an evacuation becomes necessary, homeowners should plan to gather the 6 "P's":
- People/Pets
- Papers
- Prescriptions
- Pictures (irreplaceable items)
- Personal computers
- Plastic (credit cards, cash)
"Ready, Set, Go!" will help firefighters not only prevent major damage to property, but also help people become aware of the dangers near and around their home. With the help of the local media, we can get this important message out to all citizens of our state. Prevention is our best weapon against major damage and loss of life.
For decades, fire fighters across the nation have been teaching "stop, drop and roll." By becoming a part of everyday vernacular, the phrase has proven very successful in saving lives. Sandy City Fire hopes to make "Ready, Set, Go," equally as effective.
