Emergency evacuations: What to take

[Topdog]

I'm sorry - I cannot.  Belonged to a neighbor of mine.  I agree that you need to be a smart shopper as there are many kinds.  

The grand prix fire was hot, and burned our canyon for a relatively long period of time.  Many different metals melted, including copper.  Glass melted and many other materials disintegrated.  And our neighbor's car melted - not sure which material that was.  Only a few things "survived" at our house:  a concrete shower stall; our wood-burning stove which fell into our rock-walled basement; the rock walls.

Of course, our home was in a narrow canyon, which is a more severe situation than would occur in most of wrightwood.  I would trust a good fire safe for perhaps a fire that started in the home that did not have time to get so hot.  But I personally would not bank on one saving things from a hot wild fire.  If you have a safe deposit box or other safe place away from home, I would use it.

[Wildman]

One thing I know from working with the evacuees at the Orange Show is that you need things that show your PHYSICAL street address....not just your PO Box as many of our documents do. In you evac kit have a copy of your deed...mortage papers...tax bills that show a physical address.  Bills are ok if they show the street address for the property....the official stuff is better.  Always have an official photo ID also...drivers license...fire department ID, school Id with pictures.

[love_walnuts]

Thank you, Wildman. I just looked at my CDL and it only has my PO Box. I will make sure we have what you suggested above.
 

[SkierBob]

Thank you, Wildman. I just looked at my CDL and it only has my PO Box. I will make sure we have what you suggested above.
 

How long have you had that CDL?  I don't believe DMV will let you get away with just a P.O. box anymore.  I just changed my CDL residence to Mono county to avoid being fined for dodging jury duty and they insisted I must list a street address on my CDL.  I was also surprised when they handed me my old CDL back to me.. The address is important when it comes time to prove you live in an area where they are only letting residence in.

My address change also cut my vehicle insurance in half

[Wrightwood]

My CDL only has a PO box on it.

[rdnckgrl78]

Thank you, Wildman. I just looked at my CDL and it only has my PO Box. I will make sure we have what you suggested above.
 

How long have you had that CDL?  I don't believe DMV will let you get away with just a P.O. box anymore.  I just changed my CDL residence to Mono county to avoid being fined for dodging jury duty and they insisted I must list a street address on my CDL.  I was also surprised when they handed me my old CDL back to me.. The address is important when it comes time to prove you live in an area where they are only letting residence in.

My address change also cut my vehicle insurance in half

Just had my licenced changed in July...they allowed only a PO box.

[angelwolf326]

Just got mine updated with my married name and it is only the POB, it has to be the mailing address.

[SkierBob]

well that shoots that theory down...

Last year I had to give my CDL to the Sheriff when someone crashed into one of my rental proprieties and the deputy told me my CDL was invalid because it didn't show my resident address, it showed my business address. The deputy said "you don't live at this address".  I replied well I'm there more then I'm anywhere else and I feel like I live there.   At that point he got a little miffed and my tenant stepped in and said Bob lives here with me. He then went on to tell me he could take my CDL since it didn't show a valid residence address..  I told him if he wants to do that  he'll need to get out of my kitchen and finish his report out in the cold. I went on to ask him what if I'm homeless? He said "oh you don't want to tell me that, I can take you to jail for being homeless".   

My whole point is it could be difficult to get past a residence only road block without a residence address on your CDL or some other proof of residency. 

[garski]

The issue as I understand with some of the people I know in Crestline with the resent fire is that the PO box they have shows the town where the post office is like Rim Forest so when Evac order was lifted in only the Crestline portion of the Mtn they had no proof that they actually lived in Crestline. At least here it shows Wrightwood as the town. But even then it is a good idea to carry a proof of residency address with you.

[Wildman]

There is room on your license, I believe for both your po box and your street address.  There is an extra line provided when you change or apply.
The other thing to do is put it all on one line:

1234 Pine, PO Box 670

[kew]

I asked the question about Proper ID on the "Keller Peak Emergency Net" tonight. The answer they (several law enforcement officers) gave, "ALWAYS have a utility bill with your physical address in each vehicle. If you own more than one home have a utility bill for each address."

[Wrightwood]

Here's a work in progress from feedback on this forum topic and the disaster preparedness communications net.

So let's hear some feedback and remember this is not a survival kit! It is a list of what should be taken if you have only minutes to evacuate your home and the home may not be left standing when you return.

Here's a printable PDF file:
http://www.wrightwoodfsc.com/documents/15minEvacuation.pdf

[SkierBob]

I asked the question about Proper ID on the "Keller Peak Emergency Net" tonight. The answer they (several law enforcement officers) gave, "ALWAYS have a utility bill with your physical address in each vehicle. If you own more than one home have a utility bill for each address."

I'd have to say these guys on the net need to broaden their view. Hams usually do better then that;) The need to also accept propriety tax bills.  I have two houses I call home, both have no mortgages and no connection to any utilities.  One is powered by wind and solar, the other is entirely solar and both are on wells.  Telephone service is voip provided by a complimentary ISP connection.  I can't get trash service at either location, but I'm currently taking that up with the county board of supervisors.

[RennMan]

There is room on your license, I believe for both your po box and your street address.  There is an extra line provided when you change or apply.
The other thing to do is put it all on one line:

1234 Pine, PO Box 670

What about licenses that don't have the current address printed on them?  The DMV is well aware of where to send the vehicle license renewal notices, and I've filed the appropriate form to change my license address (or so I thought), but the license itself doesn't expire until May 2008. 
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From the CA DMV website:

How to notify DMV when I change my address
Law states that you must notify DMV within 10 days of changing your address. There is no charge to change your address, and you may notify DMV by any of the following ways:

1.  Complete your change of address online.
2.  Call any DMV office at 1 (800) 777-0133 and request that a change of address form be mailed to you. It will take 5 days for you to receive it. Complete the information required on the form, then mail it to the address listed at the top of the form.
3.  Download the Change of Address form DMV 14, complete the information, and mail it to the address listed at the top of the form.
4.  Visit any DMV office, complete a change of address form, and give it to a technician. The technician will give you a Change of Address Certificate card (DL 43) to complete and carry with your license.

If you do 2 or 3 above, type or write in ink your new address on a small piece of paper, sign and date it. Carry this piece of paper with your license. Do not tape or staple the change of address information to your driver license.
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There is also a place on the back of my current license to write the current address.  I've written both street address and P.O. Box in the appropriate area.

I checked another portion of the DMV website to see if they had my current address.  Apparently they do not, and I submitted a change of address form electronically.  It takes three business days for the new address to propagate into the DMV system, so I'll check it again next week to see if it made it through.

If interested in checking your own information, here is that website:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/online/coa/welcome.htm

You have to go through a couple of layers of information before you actually get to the page that allows you to either CHECK your address, or INPUT a new one.

Peace