My daughter was invited to a fire truck themed party right before it happened. As we arrived at the fire station for the tour the big engine had just left and after 30-45 minutes later the next engine was called out and we got to watch them go. Now I'm not worried, concerned for sure, but not freaking out. We have friends and past co-workers who have been evacuated. More friends waiting if they will be called out next. I've cleaned our place in case we have to receive some of these friends. I can't help but keep a watchful eye on the horizon. It's hard to ignore when your living room all of a sudden has an orange shadow, filling the room.
We are not physically threaten by the fire at the moment, however if the winds keep blowing in the wrong direction (for us, good for others) and if rain never seems to come then things could get ugly fast. If we do leave, for now, it will be because of smoke. I have asthma and right now my nose and throat burn. So to play it safe - I am married to an eagle scout after all - we have started to pack our bags.
So the big question: what would you pack if you had to leave your home and what if that home was burned to the ground?
I have no idea. At first I started packing clothes and the thing we need to get by for at least 72 hours. Then as time went on I thought about a few things like my daughter's baby book and scrap book, our wedding video, the video of our daughter's birth, important documents, keys, power cords. But I can't really thing of anything supper sentimental to pack. If we have time I would like to pack my wedding dress into the car, but who knows if the time comes if we will have room. We have a fire box, but even those can't with stand certain temps.
I have a good friend who has been through a lot. She lost her home in California due to a fire and is in the per-evacuation area in this fire. She has shared some words of wisdom in her blog and she also shared ( in a separate post) what she wished she saved from the first fire. Click here to read her very insightful writings.
I've thought about what she has written and I wonder what I would bring, and what I should do. I'm still perplexed on what to bring, mainly because I don't hold material things close. I go on a purging spree once or twice a year, so in a since that is a good thing. I'm not tied to material goods. I know I would miss things like my beagle ceramic collection, my grandpa's shoes that we got after he died. I don't have much in the way of family heirlooms. I packed at lot of my daughter's stuffed animals, some of which were mine. My husband owns his own business and has all of those things are together and ready. Much of our lives are digital so that kind of make things easier. I doubt we will have to leave, but when you can see a fire rage wildly on the mountains that you love, your priorities and perspective take a major shift.
As for helping, I have offered our home, air purifiers, and anything anyone needs. No one has taken me up on these things yet or has need of them and that is ok. I do know that the fire fighters are requesting GF snacks and that is something I can help with and help guide people who want to donate those items. I'm sure more opportunities will arise as time goes on and I will do what I can. Prayers are something I can offer all the time. Prayer and love are what matter most in the end. God always provides, somethings we have to be willing to receive and sometimes we have to be willing to be the vessel for that provision.
What would you choose to bring and what would you do to help?
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