Evacuation
Plan
An Evacuation Plan for the Union Pass Area has been developed and
approved for use in the event that a wildland fire threatens the area
and necessitates an evacuation. The Evacuation Plan has been divided
into 8 basic steps, which are described below. All actions, locations
and routes in this plan are suggested. Fire conditions and other factors
may necessitate changes to this plan.
1. The decision
to implement either an evacuation alert or an evacuation order is
made by the Fire Incident Commander.
- Evacuation Alert: a notification of danger; alerts are issued
to advise the population at risk of the potential for loss of
life from a wildfire and recommends that the population involved
be prepared to evacuate.
- Evacuation Order: instructions are given to the population
at risk in the affected area, residents will be advised to leave
the area immediately and report to the evacuation shelter.
2. Responsible authorities will be notified as necessary via a pre-planned
call-out tree.
3. Notification will be given to local media and emergency alert
systems.
4. The Fremont County Sheriff's Office will conduct the evacuation
process using a telephone fan-out system and if necessary by door
to door contact.
5. A pre-designated Evacuation Site (The Line Shack Parking Lot)
will be staffed to organize and control the evacuation process.
6. Traffic control points will be established and staffed by law
enforcement to deny entry of unauthorized vehicles and document
those who leave the area. These control points will also coordinate
incoming emergency response vehicles and outgoing evacuees to prevent
traffic congestion problems.
- Transportation for evacuees who are unable to transport themselves
will be provided by the Fremont County School District # 2 buses;
evacuees who need additional help may contact Fremont County
School District # 2 at (307/455-2323).
7. The American Red Cross and Fremont County Emergency Management
will establish an Evacuation Shelter (Headwaters Arts & Community
Center in Dubois) which would provide necessities such as food,
water, bathing, sleeping and other logistical needs.
8. After the risk of potential for loss of life and property from
unstable fire conditions has subsided and the Incident Commander
deems it safe to do so, the Declaration of All Clear shall be broadcast
and residents shall be allowed to return to their homes.
Preparation:
The best time
to prepare yourself and your family in case of an emergency evacuation
is before you are called to act. These instructions are intended
to help you prepare in case you need to evacuate your home due to
a wildfire. The more prepared you are, the more effectively firefighters
can protect you and your home if a wildland fire threatens your
neighborhood.
Before a
wildfire threatens:
- Plan more
than one escape route from your home or subdivision by car and
by foot.
- Prepare a
family evacuation kit that includes:
- Three changes
of clothing and a change of footwear per person and one blanket
or sleeping bag per person.
- A three-day
supply of food and water.
- A first aid
kit that includes your family's prescription medications.
- Emergency
tools including a battery-powered AM/FM radio, flashlight, &
batteries
- Extra car
keys and a credit card, cash, or traveler's checks.
- Sanitation
supplies.
- Special items
for infants, elderly or disabled family members.
- An extra
pair of eyeglasses/sunglasses.
- Important
family documents.
- Wills, insurance
policies, contracts, deeds, stocks, bonds.
- Passports,
social security cards, immunization records.
- Bank account
numbers.
- Credit card
account numbers and companies.
- Inventory
of valuable household goods, important phone numbers.
- Family records
(birth, marriage, death certificates).
- Arrangements
should be made for the shelter of pets and/or livestock previous
to a wildfire incident.
- Children:
plastic bag with pictures of family for identification and pocket
money pinned to clothing.
Pick two
meeting places for your family:
- A place a
safe distance outside your home.
- A place outside
of your neighborhood in case you can't return to the area of your
home; we suggest using the parking lot of The Line Shack or the
Headwaters Arts & Community Center.
If an Evacuation
Alert is in effect and you are warned that a wildfire is threatening
your area:
- Back your
car into the garage or park in an open space facing the direction
of escape. Shut doors and roll up windows. Leave a second set
of keys in the ignition. Place your valuables in the car ahead
of time.
- Confine pets
to one room so they will be readily available when the time comes
to evacuate. Make plans ahead of time to care for your pets in
case you must evacuate. Contact the local kennels, animal shelters,
friends, etc.
- Arrange temporary
housing at a friend or relative's home outside the threatened
area in case the evacuation is longer than expected.
If you're
sure you have time, take these steps to protect your home:
- Inside:
- Close
windows, vents, Venetian blinds or non-combustible window
coverings and heavy drapes. Be sure to remove any combustible
materials from near the windows to prevent radiant heat from
igniting them.
- Close
all interior doors to confine drafts and prevent a fire from
moving inside the structure.
- Shut
off gas or propane. Turn off pilot lights.
- Move
flammable furniture into center of the home away from windows
and sliding-glass doors.
- Turn
on a light in each room to increase the visibility of your
home in heavy smoke.Be sure to turn on the outside porch light
as well. This will help firefighters to find your house in
low visibility conditions.
- Outside:
- Seal
attic and ground vents with pre-cut plywood or commercial
seals.
- Remove
gas grills from decks and patios, place propane tanks in garage.
- Place
combustible patio furniture inside.
- Connect
garden hoses to outside taps, leave in obvious location for
firefighters.
- Place
a non-combustible ladder on house for access to roof for firefighters.
- Remove
firewood or any other stored combustibles near your home.
- Remove
all shrubs within 30 feet of your home.
When an
Evacuation Order is in effect and you are advised to evacuate, do
so immediately and safely.
- Wear protective
clothing-sturdy shoes, cotton or woolen clothing, long pants,
long sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief to protect your
face.
- Take your
evacuation kit.
- Tie a white
towel, sheet or ribbon on your front door; this advises emergency
responders that your home has been evacuated.
- Tell someone
when you left and where you are going.
- Follow the
pre-designated evacuation route to the Evacuation Site (The Line
Shack) or to the nearest Traffic Control Point. Check in with
the traffic official coordinating the traffic flow of outgoing
evacuees and incoming emergency equipment. Proceed to the Evacuation
Shelter (Headwaters Arts & Community Center) in Dubois and
await further instructions.
Traffic
Control:
The Fremont
County Sheriff's Office will be responsible for traffic control
& security during an evacuation and will coordinate the traffic
control plan during the evacuation.
The departure
routes should be used according to the pre-designated evacuation
route on the Union Pass Area Evacuation Map.
Secondary evacuation
routes have been shown on the Union Pass Area Evacuation Map, but
it is highly recommended that evacuees avoid using these secondary
evacuation routes unless all other options have been closed. The
secondary evacuation routes may or may not be traversable depending
on the time of year and the current road condition.
Officers staged
at Traffic Control Points will document evacuees who leave the area
to keep a list of all evacuees to aid during the evacuation process.
An evacuation
is an enormous undertaking requiring careful coordination of numerous
agencies. In the mostly wooded Union Pass area the most likely scenario
would be the threat of wildfire. This evacuation plan is devised
based on expected wildfire behavior and the evacuation that may
be required.
During a wildfire,
law enforcement officials may ask you to evacuate with little warning.
Take precautions now to prepare for that possibility.
Evacuees who
wish to learn more information during and after the evacuation may
be able to contact the Public Information Officer for the wildfire
or dial a phone number specifically designated to provide evacuation
information. This information may or may not be available depending
on time and resources availability.
Union Pass
Emergency Evacuation Plan Tips:
- Listen to
radio for updated reports.
- Prepare important
documents ahead of time.
- Take a disaster
supply kit.
- Wear protective
clothing during the evacuation.
- Follow the
routes outlined in this plan. Choose a route away from the fire
if possible.
- Check-in
with a traffic control point coordinator.
- Proceed to
the Evacuation Shelter in Dubois and check-in.
- Await further
instructions from there.
Please click
on map for enlarged view.
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