21
Mar

After you’ve been evacuated, you need to head to the first evacuation center that you find. This is set up ready for those who need a temporary place to stay. You may not end up staying there overnight, and they may send you on elsewhere, but they can take your contact information so they have confirmation that you and your family are safe.

This is where you also share if you had to leave animals behind. The staff can get in touch with first responders to see if they can get the animals out. If you let livestock loose, also let them know even if you reported it elsewhere.

What About the Cost of the Evacuation?

Your home insurance will usually cover the cost of a mandatory evacuation, and usually, you won’t see a deductible. It can cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to live outside the home during an evacuation.
You’ll need to talk to your insurance company as soon as possible. There’s no need to wait to find out the state of your house. You can always follow up if there is more.

Always keep a copy of receipts for items that you’ve needed during the evacuation process, including toiletries, car rental, hotel costs, meals, etc.

Can You Stay with Friends?

This is a good time to call friends and family. There is no shame in sharing that you need help as you’ve been evacuated due to a fire. A lot of family and friends will be worried, anyway, and if you’re with them, they know you’re safe.

Hotels will fill up quickly. That means needing to stay on a couch, even if it’s just somewhere for the kids and you and other capable adults can stay in cars or in a low-budget hotel.

Friends are also more likely to allow your pets into their house. A lot of hotels and evacuation centers will have no pet policies, which makes no sense in the situation, but that’s their rules.

Prepare for Noisy Evacuation Centers

There are times that you won’t have the money for a hotel. Maybe you don’t have people you can stay with. You need to turn to the evacuation centers.

These are noisy places. You’ll want to have earplugs to help. A lot of these places will also keep the lights on throughout the night for safety reasons, so have a sleeping mask to prepare.

This is a scary situation. Try to stay calm, especially for the younger members of your family. There are a lot of unknowns, especially if your home is affected by the fire, but you can get through this.