Learn How to Prepare
Disasters don't wait. The time to prepare is before an emergency ever begins. Here's how to protect your home, your loved ones, and your peace of mind.
Preparation is the difference between panic and a plan. Whether it's a wildfire, a power outage, flooding, or extreme heat, a family that has prepared ahead of time can act fast and stay safe. Use the guidance below to get your household ready.
If You Live Near Open Hillsides or Wildland
Many neighborhoods sit within the wildland urban interface, where homes meet open hillside terrain. That setting often means higher wildfire exposure, fast moving winds, and the potential for rapid evacuation. The steps on this page matter for every family, and they matter even more if you live near open land. Know your evacuation routes, sign up for local alerts, and prepare your home before fire season peaks.
Wildfire Preparedness
Wildfires move fast. Defensible space and an early exit save lives.
Protect Your Home
Create Defensible Space
- Clear dry brush, leaves, and dead plants within at least 100 feet of your home.
- Keep grass cut short and remove anything flammable from against the house.
- Move firewood, propane tanks, and patio furniture cushions away from walls.
- Clean leaves and debris from roofs, gutters, and under decks regularly.
Harden Your Home
- Install ember resistant vents and cover openings with fine metal mesh.
- Keep a garden hose connected and accessible on every side of the house.
- Close all windows and doors if a fire is approaching to block embers.
Be Ready to Leave
- Leave early. Do not wait for an official order if you feel unsafe.
- Know at least two evacuation routes out of your neighborhood.
- Park your car facing out, keep the gas tank at least half full, and keep your go bag by the door during fire season.
Vegetation and Tree Safety
The plants and trees around your home can either protect it or put it at risk.
Know Your Trees and Landscaping
Ficus Trees
Ficus trees have aggressive, invasive root systems that damage foundations, plumbing, and hardscape over time. They are also prone to toppling in high winds and saturated, flooded soil. If you have ficus near your home, monitor them closely and consider professional removal.
Palm Trees
Palm trees are highly flammable and catch fire easily from embers. Burning fronds can break off and travel, spreading fire from one property to the next. Keep palms trimmed of dead fronds and avoid planting them close to structures.
Tree to Roof Contact
Never let branches touch or overhang your roof. During a wildfire, embers ignite homes through that contact zone. Keep trees trimmed well back from the roofline and clear overhanging limbs before fire season.
Power Outage Preparedness
Outages can last hours or days. A little planning keeps your family safe and comfortable.
Before and During an Outage
- Keep flashlights and extra batteries in easy to reach places. Avoid candles when possible due to fire risk.
- Have a battery or hand crank radio to stay informed.
- Keep power banks charged for phones and essential devices.
- Store water and non perishable food that needs no cooking.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed. Food stays cold for hours if doors stay shut.
- If someone relies on medical equipment that needs power, have a backup plan and notify your utility provider in advance.
- Never run a generator indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide is deadly.
- Unplug sensitive electronics to protect them from surges when power returns.
Flooding Preparedness
Even in dry regions, heavy rain and burn scars can cause sudden flooding and mudflows.
Stay Ahead of Rising Water
- Know if your home sits in a flood prone or post fire mudflow area.
- Keep sandbags on hand if you are in a low lying or burn scar area.
- Move valuables and important documents to higher levels.
- Never drive or walk through flood water. Just six inches can knock you down, and two feet can carry a vehicle away.
- If flooding is possible, move to higher ground early.
- Keep gutters and drains clear so water flows away from your home.
Heatwave Preparedness
Extreme heat is dangerous, especially for children, older adults, and pets.
Beat the Heat Safely
- Stay hydrated. Drink water before you feel thirsty and avoid sugary or alcoholic drinks.
- Stay indoors during the hottest hours and use air conditioning or visit a cooling center.
- Never leave children or pets in a parked car, even for a moment.
- Wear light, loose clothing and limit strenuous outdoor activity.
- Check on elderly neighbors and anyone living alone.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke: dizziness, nausea, confusion, and hot dry skin. Seek help immediately if they appear.
General Disaster Readiness
No matter the emergency, every family should have these basics in place.
Build Your Foundation
- Make a family communication plan so everyone knows how to reach each other if separated.
- Choose an out of area contact everyone can check in with.
- Pick two meeting places: one near home, one outside the neighborhood.
- Sign up for local emergency alerts and warnings.
- Keep copies of important documents in a waterproof container and digitally backed up.
- Teach every family member how to shut off water, gas, and electricity.
- Practice your plan with the whole family, including children.
Emergency Go Bag Checklist
- Water: one gallon per person per day for at least three days
- Non perishable food for three days
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Medications and a list of prescriptions
- Phone charger and power bank
- Battery or hand crank radio
- Cash in small bills
- Copies of IDs, insurance, and key documents
- Change of clothes and sturdy shoes
- Blanket or emergency mylar blanket
- Hygiene items and sanitizer
- Whistle to signal for help
- Supplies for infants, elderly, or pets
- Spare keys for home and car
- Map of the area and emergency contacts
Make Your Evacuation Plan
When seconds count, a plan you've practiced is what gets your family out safely.
Plan Your Exit Before You Need It
- Map at least two routes out of your home and two out of your neighborhood.
- Decide where your family will reunite if you get separated.
- Assign who grabs the go bag, who gets the kids, and who handles pets.
- Keep your car fueled and ready during fire season.
- Practice the plan so everyone, including children, knows what to do.
- If told to evacuate, go immediately. Your life is worth more than any belonging.
Official LA County Resources
For real time alerts, evacuation information, and emergency updates, rely on these official Los Angeles County sources.
Stay Informed and Connected
- Alert LA County: Sign up for the county's official emergency mass notification system to receive alerts by phone, text, and email. Visit ready.lacounty.gov to register.
- Ready LA County: Official preparedness information, evacuation guidance, and hazard resources at ready.lacounty.gov.
- LA County Fire Department: Wildfire updates, safety information, and defensible space guidance at fire.lacounty.gov.
- LA County Office of Emergency Management: Countywide emergency coordination and disaster resources at lacounty.gov/emergency.
- In any life threatening emergency, call 911 immediately.
Preparation Is an Act of Love
Taking these steps today protects the people who matter most. Share this guide with your neighbors, and let's keep our community ready together.
Santa Clarita Valley
Residents
Emergency Preparedness Guide
A free 35-page printable guide built by a LAFD Fire Captain's family right here in Santa Clarita. Wildfire ready. Earthquake ready. Family ready.
★ Download The Free Guide ★Free · No Email Required · Print & Share
Built By A Fire Family.
Made For Yours.
We live in Santa Clarita too. Our family has watched the Hughes Fire, Tick Fire, Sand Fire, and Rye Fire threaten our neighbors — and we know wildfire isn't if, it's when.
My husband is a LAFD Fire Captain with 20+ years of service. Every Red Flag Warning, every smoke plume on the horizon, our family has the same conversation: are we ready? We built this guide for the families who haven't had that conversation yet — and the families who want to be more ready than we were last year.
This is everything we've learned from real calls, real evacuations, and real recovery. It's free because preparedness shouldn't be a luxury — it should be a baseline. Print it. Fill it out. Keep it in a binder near your go-bag. Share it with every family on your block.
What's Inside The Guide
Real preparedness for real Santa Clarita families — covering wildfire, earthquake, and everything in between.
10-Minute Evacuation
A minute-by-minute checklist of exactly what to grab and what to do when seconds matter.
Complete Go-Bag List
Everything you need packed and ready BEFORE fire season starts — for every family member and pet.
Home Hardening Guide
What to plant, build, and remove around your home to give it the best chance against wildfire embers.
Pet Evacuation Plan
Because furry family members need a plan too — carriers, food, meds, vet records, and emergency contacts.
Inside-The-Home Fire Safety
A real call from our captain — and how a five-minute walkthrough could have prevented a multi-unit condo fire.
SCV Earthquake Prep
Drop · Cover · Hold On · plus the SCV-specific fault info every family should know.
Special Needs & Medical
Planning for family members with oxygen, insulin, mobility, or cognitive needs — including SCE Medical Baseline.
Check On Your Neighbors
Who needs help, how to make a pet rescue plan with your block, and small acts that help firefighters.
SCV Local Resources
Genasys Protect, Alert LA County, Watch Duty, and every Santa Clarita-specific number you need before fire season.
...plus 24 more checklists, worksheets, and family resources.
Ready To Protect Your Family?
Print all 35 pages and keep them in a binder near your go-bag. It's free, forever.
★ Download The Free Guide ★If You Live In Fire Country, You Need This.
Uniform Families Foundation
Uniform Families Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving uniformed families in Santa Clarita and beyond. We exist to make sure the families who serve our community have the resources, support, and community they need — and that the community they protect is just as prepared as they are.
This guide is free because preparedness shouldn't have a price tag. If it helps your family, please share it with another family who needs it.
Common Questions
Is this really free?
Yes — 100% free, no email required, no paywall, no upsells. We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and this is our gift to the Santa Clarita community.
Can I share it with friends and family?
Yes please! The whole point is to get this into as many SCV households as possible. Share the link, print extras for your neighbors, post it in your community group. The more families that have it, the safer our community is.
Can I print it?
Absolutely — it's designed to be printed. We recommend printing all 35 pages, putting them in a 3-ring binder, and keeping it near your go-bag. Many of the worksheets are fillable so you can write in your family's specific information.
Who created this guide?
A LAFD Fire Captain's family right here in Santa Clarita Valley. The content reflects 20+ years of fire service experience, real call stories, and lessons learned from the Hughes, Tick, Sand, and Rye Fires.
How can I support the Foundation?
The best way to support us is to share this guide with another family. If you'd like to support the Foundation financially, donations help us create more free resources for uniformed families and the communities they serve. Contact us through this site to learn more.
Print. Fill.
Protect Your Family.
The best time to prepare was before the last fire. The second best time is right now.
★ Download The Free Guide ★35 Pages · 33 Checklists · 100% Free
Santa Clarita Valley
Residents
Emergency Preparedness Guide
A free 35-page printable guide built by a LAFD Fire Captain's family right here in Santa Clarita. Wildfire ready. Earthquake ready. Family ready.
★ Download The Free Guide ★Free · No Email Required · Print & Share
Built By A Fire Family.
Made For Yours.
We live in Santa Clarita too. Our family has watched the Hughes Fire, Tick Fire, Sand Fire, and Rye Fire threaten our neighbors — and we know wildfire isn't if, it's when.
My husband is a LAFD Fire Captain with 20+ years of service. Every Red Flag Warning, every smoke plume on the horizon, our family has the same conversation: are we ready? We built this guide for the families who haven't had that conversation yet — and the families who want to be more ready than we were last year.
This is everything we've learned from real calls, real evacuations, and real recovery. It's free because preparedness shouldn't be a luxury — it should be a baseline. Print it. Fill it out. Keep it in a binder near your go-bag. Share it with every family on your block.
What's Inside The Guide
Real preparedness for real Santa Clarita families — covering wildfire, earthquake, and everything in between.
10-Minute Evacuation
A minute-by-minute checklist of exactly what to grab and what to do when seconds matter.
Complete Go-Bag List
Everything you need packed and ready BEFORE fire season starts — for every family member and pet.
Home Hardening Guide
What to plant, build, and remove around your home to give it the best chance against wildfire embers.
Pet Evacuation Plan
Because furry family members need a plan too — carriers, food, meds, vet records, and emergency contacts.
Inside-The-Home Fire Safety
A real call from our captain — and how a five-minute walkthrough could have prevented a multi-unit condo fire.
SCV Earthquake Prep
Drop · Cover · Hold On · plus the SCV-specific fault info every family should know.
Special Needs & Medical
Planning for family members with oxygen, insulin, mobility, or cognitive needs — including SCE Medical Baseline.
Check On Your Neighbors
Who needs help, how to make a pet rescue plan with your block, and small acts that help firefighters.
SCV Local Resources
Genasys Protect, Alert LA County, Watch Duty, and every Santa Clarita-specific number you need before fire season.
...plus 24 more checklists, worksheets, and family resources.
Ready To Protect Your Family?
Print all 35 pages and keep them in a binder near your go-bag. It's free, forever.
★ Download The Free Guide ★If You Live In Fire Country, You Need This.
Uniform Families Foundation
Uniform Families Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving uniformed families in Santa Clarita and beyond. We exist to make sure the families who serve our community have the resources, support, and community they need — and that the community they protect is just as prepared as they are.
This guide is free because preparedness shouldn't have a price tag. If it helps your family, please share it with another family who needs it.
Common Questions
Is this really free?
Yes — 100% free, no email required, no paywall, no upsells. We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and this is our gift to the Santa Clarita community.
Can I share it with friends and family?
Yes please! The whole point is to get this into as many SCV households as possible. Share the link, print extras for your neighbors, post it in your community group. The more families that have it, the safer our community is.
Can I print it?
Absolutely — it's designed to be printed. We recommend printing all 35 pages, putting them in a 3-ring binder, and keeping it near your go-bag. Many of the worksheets are fillable so you can write in your family's specific information.
Who created this guide?
A LAFD Fire Captain's family right here in Santa Clarita Valley. The content reflects 20+ years of fire service experience, real call stories, and lessons learned from the Hughes, Tick, Sand, and Rye Fires.
How can I support the Foundation?
The best way to support us is to share this guide with another family. If you'd like to support the Foundation financially, donations help us create more free resources for uniformed families and the communities they serve. Contact us through this site to learn more.
Print. Fill.
Protect Your Family.
The best time to prepare was before the last fire. The second best time is right now.
★ Download The Free Guide ★35 Pages · 33 Checklists · 100% Free