Evacuation plan???

**chocolatepuppy** · 05-13-2005, 08:14 PM

Just wondering...do you all have an evacuation plan if you ever had to leave your home? I have a plan in case of tornadoes and fire. But in the event I had to leave my home, my pets would be going with me!
The reason this came to mind, my husband and I recently bought a new truck, a little Ford Ranger. While considering buying it, one of my thoughts was, what if I had to evacuate and my husband has our other truck which is an extented cab? Can I get two cat carriers and two big dogs in the front of this truck? (we're not putting a cap on it, only a cover) I've got it all figured out that we will all fit!
Now you may wonder why I'd worry about evacuating? We live between two train tracks, which sometimes carry hazardous waste!

The dogs are easy, throw a leash on them and get them in the truck. Well when I got Sassy I bought a cat carrier. Then when I got Missy, I bought another. I got laughed at by my family, friends and my husband when I said "what if a train wrecks?" ha ha ha they all laughed. Well one week later, a train derailed right up the road from my house!

No injurys, no evacuation but boy did I get the last laugh!

It's a wonder I don't have a breakdown worrying about my furkids,but better safe than sorry!

**catnapper** · 05-13-2005, 08:17 PM

Not that I've formally thought it out, but I have trained the cats to come running when I want them. Even Allen (who does what he darn well pleases in his own sweet time) comes running now. This has saved my sanity many times over when the doors have been left open by accident (images of my guys out in the neighborhood terrify me). Now I'm wondering if I should stahs harnesses in my glovebox in case I DO have to run out fast with the cats. Nicki of course, like you said, is easy. Just leash her and go.

**Glacier** · 05-13-2005, 08:36 PM

Absolutely we have one! We live in the middle of a forest with the highest fire index in the North. It's only a matter of time before we have to evacuate. This place will burn someday. Even if it doesn't (and we do have a plan to save our house if we can), we will have to leave at some point when a fire gets too close. I wouldn't be suprised if it's this summer. Forest fire season is starting early!

Moving 22 dogs and 8 cats is not something that can be done without planning. We have a plan to get them out, an emergency kit of their medications, food, leashes, critter first aid stuff, kennels, ect. We have an arrangement with friends for a place to take them, actually several friends depending on the direction of the fire.

I also have a special box of stuff that I would grab on my way out the door--the negatives of our wedding pics, family treasures that wouldn't mean a thing to my insurance company but can't be replaced. Everything else can burn.

**chocolatepuppy** · 05-13-2005, 08:58 PM

catnapper, I've tried to think of a place to stash some things like leashes, pillowcases,boxes(to put the cats in) anything to help out in the event we had to throw all furkids out the door and run! Everythings locked outside now, the trucks and the garage. I guess more planning is in order.

Glacier, you're one of the people I wondered about but I didn't think about forest fires!

We lived in Daytona Beach years ago when they had fires, it was terrifying. We only had two dogs and lived in a camper so leaving would be easy. Load up the dogs and hook up the camper. I don't even want to think about you having fires up there.

**luvofallhorses** · 05-13-2005, 10:22 PM

Unfortunately,

We don't

I guess we haven't thought about it....but I don't think it's dangerous where we live, but I could consider talking to my parents about it, asap.

**Glacier** · 05-13-2005, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by chocolatepuppy
Glacier, you're one of the people I wondered about but I didn't think about forest fires! We lived in Daytona Beach years ago when they had fires, it was terrifying. We only had two dogs and lived in a camper so leaving would be easy. Load up the dogs and hook up the camper. I don't even want to think about you having fires up there.

We have huge fires up here. Last summer over 8 million acres burned. Fortunately, most of that was away from populated areas. Our fire crews don't touch a fire until it threatens property or a community. Fires in true wilderness areas are left to burn, as forests need to do every so often. We already have fire bans on this year and no rain predicted. Last summer, my hubby was away fighting fires in Dawson City so I was here alone. I worked out a detailed plan to get everybody out and to safety by myself if I had to. The plan would stay the same when Stuart's here, except Kayleigh would go with him in his vehicle.

I know a musher in Alaska who last summer moved his entire kennel--close to 50 dogs--with an ATV!!! It took a couple trips, but he got everybody out alive and unscathed! The only good thing about a forest fire evacuation is generally you have some notice, at least a couple hours.

**gemini9961** · 05-13-2005, 11:54 PM

I currently do not have any kid of evacuation plan and I live in Florida (Hurricanes..Hurricanes and some more Hurricanes). After last summer the awareness of everything hurricane related has escalated a bunch. I think I might need to get something in order as Hurricane season starts on June 1st (also my birthday

). At least with hurricanes we have some time to get everything together.

**chrissycat21** · 05-14-2005, 07:25 AM

If there was a tornado and I was by myself I can carry down all three cages into the basement in less then 5 minutes, get the animals, put back into cages, throw blankets over them (it's really cold in the basement and incase there is falling debris), and then save myself. Hopefully I'll never have to put that plan into action...

In case of a fire I'm going to ask my mom if I can just tape something onto our front window stating how many pets we have and where they are located.

Hopefully nothing will ever happen where an evacuation plan is needed, but it is better to be safe then sorry.

**LKPike** · 05-14-2005, 08:10 AM

if it was something small, Frankie would be howling, Jillian would be cowering in her kennel, and the macaw would probably be laughing.

for something really big needing mandatory evacuation.... we're praying that it never happens. depending on emergency we might be forced to leave our 5 birds behind, and only 2 can fly - the others are too old and weak. birds are too delicate to just throw into carriers and rush out.

**LKPike** · 05-14-2005, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by chrissycat21
In case of a fire I'm going to ask my mom if I can just tape something onto our front window stating how many pets we have and where they are located.

we have that

Its the best way, imo

**chocolatepuppy** · 05-14-2005, 01:46 PM

I have those in my windows too. If I'm not home hopefully it will help. Unfortunately, with a volunteer fire dept., those stickers probably won't do much good.

Having good neighbors that also love animals and of course know I have animals may help.