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Prepare for an Emergency, Wildfire, or Power Blackout

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Community Warning System

It is important for Lafayette residents to sign up for the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services Community Warning System (CWS). Registering with CWS ensures that you will receive immediate notification of wildfires and other disasters affecting Lafayette. Register now for CWS. 

 

Lamorinda Residents Guide to Wildfire Preparedness & Evacuation

Download this booklet to better be prepared for an evacuation. Whether it is a wildfire, earthquake, of other disaster, you need to be ready to evacuate on short notice or, in some cases, to Shelter-in-Place. Within this booklet, you will find information about emergency alerts and warnings, how to sign up for them, what they are, where to find them, and what to do when you receive one. Here you will learn about the most critical ones for our community. You will also find Evacuation Tips. These are things that have been learned first-hand by evacuees and can save lives, time, and effort. There are things you can do now to prepare and things to do when you get an evacuation order. There are Worksheets to help you gather, in advance, the documents needed to rebuild your life following a wildfire or earthquake. Recovery following a disaster relies on preparation. This booklet was revised in 2022.

Evacuation Safety Tips

Evac Flyer ThumbnailIf a wildfire or other major hazard occurs you may be required to evacuate your home. Download this file for tips on how to prepare for and participate in an evacuation.  

Here are the most important items:

  • Be prepared: 
    • Sign up for CWS Alerts
    • Have your Go Bags ready and be able to leave quickly
  • Red Flag days:
    • Take a trip! Reducing evacuation traffic saves lives
    • Avoid parking on the street to keep evacuation routes clear
  • LEAVE EARLY! Trust your senses and leave for any hazard; don’t wait for a notification
  • TAKE ONLY ONE CAR! Reduce evacuation traffic; your life and the lives of others may depend on it
  • Follow Police and Fire directions:  Do not stop to ask questions, and do not return until it is safe

Lafayette's Community Information & Emergency Radio Station AM 1670

City of Lafayette operates a FCC-licensed community information and emergency radio station that transmits 24/7 throughout the area at 1670 kHz in the AM broadcast band. The station is designed to provide City of Lafayette news and information that citizens can listen to at anytime. During emergencies, such as power outages, wild fires, and other disasters, the radio station will broadcast important information such as evacuation instructions. If power is out and internet or cellphone service is down, Lafayette's radio station will provide you with critical information through a battery-powered or car AM radio. You can listen to Lafayette's Community Information & Emergency Radio Station online here: https://bit.ly/LafayetteRadio1670AM.

 

Be Prepared!

  • Make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts (via both CWS and Nixle) so we can reach you directly if there is a threat to life or property.
  • Know what to do when there is a Red Flag Warning (elevated fire risk).
  • Identify your evacuation zone number and practicing how your family will evacuate in case of an emergency.
  • Practice DUCK, COVER, AND HOLD and know the safest part of each room.
  • Learn the rules for SHELTER IN PLACE. Come inside, close doors and windows. Turn off ventilation. Listen to the radio (KCBS 740) for instructions.

Make a disaster less likely:

  • Fire-safe your home by correctly storing flammable supplies, maintaining a defensible space in your landscaping, and keeping exits clear.
  • Earthquake-ready your home by securing the water heater, heavy furniture, bookshelves, etc. Do structural upgrades when possible
  • Review your flood insurance policy to understand what coverage it provides. Visit FloodSmart.gov to learn more.

Make a family disaster plan:

  • Discuss with your families what disasters are likeliest to occur, e.g.; earthquake, structure and vegetation fires, mud slides, blocked roads, power outages, etc.
  • Plan two meeting places, one inside and one outside your neighborhood.
  • Discuss alternate evacuation routes.
  • Designate an out of state family contact and give all family members the number.
  • Review your plan and check and or rotate supplies semi-annually.
  • Consider taking CERT training.

Prepare a Disaster Supply Kit sufficient for 3 days:

Gather items that your household would need to survive for at least 3 days. This Go-Bag will allow you to evacuate quickly if a disaster should strike, or could be used when sheltering in place:

  • Water-3 gallons per family member
  • Non-perishable canned and packaged food
  • Change of clothing, rain gear, sturdy shoes
  • First aid kit, prescription medications, eye glasses
  • Special needs e.g. baby supplies, pet food
  • Battery powered radio, flashlights, and plenty of fresh batteries
  • Blankets or sleeping bags
  • Work gloves, pry bar
  • Manual can opener

Here are two more comprehensive lists: Go Bag Checklist from Lamorinda CERT (PDF) | Emergency Supply Checklist from American Red Cross (PDF)

 

Risk Reduction Steps that Can Make Your Home Safer During a Wildfire

Find out if your home is in a high risk area for wildfires, and if so, undertake defensible space and home hardening measures to reduce the risk to your property. 

Home Hardening:

Using fire-resistant building materials can help your home resist the intrusion of flames or embers projected by a wildland fire. It can be applied to new construction or for retrofitting an existing home. Home Hardening considers the relationship between your home and its exposure to nearby combustible features such as vegetation, vehicles, accessory buildings, or even miscellaneous structures like a fence.

Cal Fire's Home Hardening Self-Assessment  | Cal Fire's low cost retrofit list (PDF)  | US Forest Service Guide to Home Hardening

Create a Defensible Space:

An important strategy to protect your home from wildfire is to create a “defensible space.” This means to limit flammable materials close to any buildings. It includes selecting appropriate plants and landscaping based on how close they are to your home, as well as trimming back plant growth in the zones within 30’ of any building, and 30’ to 100’ away. For example, any living or dead vegetation that could allow a fire to climb up from the ground into the tree canopy (referred to as “ladder fuels”) needs be removed from trees so that foliage, twigs, or branches are a minimum of six feet above the ground, or higher based on site and slope conditions. (If your property is sloped, the minimum clearance may be higher since fire can travel faster on a slope!) Learn more about creating a defensible space on Con Fire’s website at www.cccfpd.org/defensible-space. There is also more information on Cal Fire’s website at www.readyforwildfire.org/defensible-space. 

Work with your neighbors to obtain Firewise certification for your neighborhood: 

The Firewise USA program, run by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), encourages homeowners to prepare their homes for wildfire risk. The Firewise risk mitigation strategies include: landscaping, building materials, structural positioning, and ignition zones. See:  Firewise Information Sheet | Fire Hazardous Plant List   |  Reducing Your Home's Wildfire Risk  

Lafayette has numerous Firewise neighborhoods and the Emergency Preparedness Commission and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District strongly encourage additional neighborhoods to pursue Firewise certification.  Achieving certification requires an application, neighborhood fire inspection, developing a neighborhood plan, and achieving annual investment goals (work hours and/or expenditures).  Each Firewise neighborhood needs a leader to manage the process and we encourage neighborhood teams to work together on their Firewise program. To learn more and get started, please contact Stephanie Bontemps, Lafayette Emergency Preparedness Commissioner at lepcstephanie@gmail.com.  

 

Steps to Take Before Strong Winter Storms

  • Keep creeks, drainage ditches and culverts on your property clear of debris.
  • Cleaning of drainage channels and swales or storm drains on private property is the responsibility of the property owner(s). 
  • Rake up leaves and dispose of them in your greenwaste bin; Do not blow or rake leaves into the street or into creeks as this can contribute to flooding! 
  • Check storm drains near your property - You can clear debris off the surface of the drain with a rake or pitchfork. DO NOT OPEN OR REMOVE THE PUBLIC STORM DRAIN GRATE.
  • Proper creek care includes safely removing tree limbs, leaves, trash, and other objects that can cause blockages. Secure outdoor furniture and other objects that may be moved around by strong wind. Read more about creek maintenance. Do not enter strong flowing creeks.
  • Avoid areas that are prone to flooding. Do not attempt to cross a section of road or trail that has water running over it.
  • Watch this video about how to fill and use sandbags: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/5976/Sandbags.
  • Stay informed about the weather through the National Weather Service Bay Area webpage: www.weather.gov/mtr. 
  • Keep your mobile phones charged in case of a power outage.

 

PG&E Wildfire Safety Program and PSPS Events 

For information on PG&E's community wildfire safety plans and public safety power outages, please visit our Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) page.  

 

Resources

 

Additional Helpful Websites

The American Red Cross has an exceptionally well organized and logical website for beginning personal and family preparedness. There are general sections as well as information on children, pets, businesses and various other specific concerns. Go to the site directory. Click services, then disaster services.

The Association of Bay Area Governments' site covers earthquakes and secondary hazards. There are maps that predict earthquake hazards, information on how to structurally prepare your house, information on other natural hazards, a section for kids and links to other earthquake sites such as the USGS. Under planning projects click on earthquake.

The Contra Costa Community Awareness and Emergency Response Organization has specific directions about Shelter in Place at home, school, and in the workplace.

The Federal Government site includes information about natural disasters and terrorist possibilities including biological, chemical, and radiological events. FEMA offers a booklet Are You Ready, which can be ordered by calling (800) 480-2520.

The Department of Homeland Security covers terrorist threats and information on how to report suspected terrorists. It also acts, to some extent, as a clearing house for websites from other government and non agencies.