As we’ve seen in Los Angeles, wildfires engulf everything in its path—actually wherever the wind may blow. Although other areas in our country and in our world have experienced wildfires, LA’s is one of the worst ever. My husband and I recently saw the devastation from the 2020 Australia brushfires particularly on Kangaroo Island where 42 percent of the land was burned. It was several years ago that a wildfire in the NC mountains was in our neck of the woods leaving our air thick with smoke for weeks.
So what can we do to protect our health and livelihood when wildfires come near us? Here are ten survival tips before, during, and after the wildfire.
Before the fire:
- Video or photograph every major possession in your home on a flash drive and place in a safe deposit box and on iCloud. This is for insurance purposes. You must be able to document what you’ve lost. I’m talking about furniture, collectibles, art, jewelry, and other valuables.
- Secure a fire-proof box to store important documents. These documents should include birth certificates, marriage licenses, titles and deeds, passports, stocks and bonds, wills, social security numbers, military IDs, important medical records, insurance policies, and Income tax records for six years. Some of these things such as medical records and income tax records can be stored on iCloud. If you are not home when a fire engulfs your home, this box will protect your documents. If you are told to evacuate due to an approaching wildfire, take this box with you in your car.
- Secure important valuable and irreplaceable mementos when the threat is near. Family pictures and mementos, paintings, and necessities such as medicines and portable medical equipment, cell phones, computers, etc. can be placed in your car ready to go ahead of any possible mandatory evacuation order. Don’t wait until the last minute when you only have five minutes to evacuate. It’s better to preload the car just in case. If a false alarm, you can always unpack these items. Better prepared ahead and safe rather than sorry.
- Purchase a high-quality HEPA air filtering system. We have an Air Doctor that we use daily. One is placed in our den and the other in our master bedroom. You can’t control the smoke pollution outside, but you can control the inside air. And if you live near areas impacted by wildfires, you want your inside air as clean as possible. If told to evacuate, leave your car windows up and rely on your air filters to filter your air. Clean air is essential. Unfortunately, we’ve seen long-term damage from those who were close to Ground Zero on 9-11. We must breathe as much clean air as possible.
- Purchase a high-grade respirator mask for everyone in your household. When the wildfires are near, use these when going outdoors. Then use these during and after the wildfire when the air is very toxic. The smoke released by wildfires contains a mixture of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and soot that contains a cocktail of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, benzene, styrene, heavy metals, dioxins, acid gases, nitrogen oxides, aldehydes, and polycyclic hydrocarbons—just to name a few. Coarser particles can deposit in your upper respiratory system, but the finer particles can penetrate deep into your lungs and throughout your body. Once in your bloodstream, these particles can trigger widespread inflammation impacting the young and the elderly and those with underlying respiratory conditions.
During and afterward:
- Monitor air quality ratings to assess and mitigate your risk. You can follow on your local news or on the app called Smoke Sense (EPA) which provides air quality maps and suggestions for what you should and should not do. Air Now is another app that sends local alerts about AQIs or the local air quality. If PM levels, which stands for Particulate Matter, are 2.5 levels or higher, stay indoors and limit your outdoor activities. If PM levels are lower than 2.5, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks. When air quality is poor, stay inside as much as possible and close the fresh air intake on your air conditioner system to keep outdoor air from entering your home. Keep your indoor air as clean as possible by avoiding smoking indoors, using toxic cleaners, burning candles, and spraying toxic aerosols. Make sure those HEPA air filters I mentioned in Tip 4 are on and working and your system heating and air filters are replaced.
**Because smoke can travel long distances, even up to 1000 miles away can feel the impact. In SC, we’ve had to curtail our activities when the Canadian wildfires sent smoke our way.
**A study from Montana found that seasons with record-high smoke were followed by more severe flu seasons, adding to the growing body of evidence that wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to viruses and infections.
- Drink filtered water. If you know me, you know that I recommend filtered water on an everyday basis. But during and after a wildfire we must realize that these toxins in the smoke and residue get into our water table. Therefore, we absolutely must filter our water during and after a wildfire.
- Support your body’s detoxification process. Realize these wildfires are exposing your body to even more toxins. Detox methods include exercise (better indoors), increased hydration, and eating lots of plants which provide phytochemicals, antioxidants, and much-needed fiber. Too much toxin load can prevent your immune system from working as God intended.
- Support your body with supplements such as:
Vitamin C – which is a powerful antioxidant proven to minimize airway irritation and improve the health of our lungs after smoke exposure.
B Complex – which reduces inflammation effects caused by smoke inhalation. B vitamins also protect the body during stressful times. It’s known as the stress vitamin.
- Hold on to your faith. The Bible clearly tells us many times that God is with us in the storms and wildfires of life. It’s important to remember to look for the silver linings even in the middle of devastating damage. Keeping that eternal perspective helps to keep us balanced. Stuff can be replaced. As the mayor of LA said, “Saving lives is the most important thing.” When you’ve been told to evacuate by the authorities, don’t stay behind trying to protect your house with a fire hose. These wildfires are not to be messed with. Even though the loss of a home and all of its contents is a difficult tragedy to endure, saving lives again is the most important thing.
Notice that half of these tips should be put in place before anything happens. Isn’t it that way with everything? Prevention is key for preparing us for whatever happens in life. So look closely at these five tips that should be put in place ahead of time. Also, look around you to see which neighbors might need help getting ready to evacuate. Some may need to evacuate with you. As we learned in the NC Hurricane disaster, it was neighbors helping neighbors that in many cases saved the day in the middle of the crisis and afterward. People sharing their homes or second homes or campers with others who needed shelter and so many donations and offers of help. If you’ve not been impacted by a natural disaster, look for ways you can help those who have.
And let’s pray for all involved in these tragic LA fires. May God calm the winds and bring peace and comfort.
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Ten Survival Tips Before, During, and After Wildfires
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, a finalist in Serious Writers Book of the Decade, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com. Ginny is on YouTube
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