Last weekend I was evacuated from the cabin that I had just bought. A fire had been spotted at 5:30pm while I was at dinner with a friend on Friday August 7, and by 8:30pm we were under full evacuation orders. It was a wake up call for me and it sure made me think about what matters most and am I actually prepared if something happens? First was safety- Can I get my family out of harms way with the needed supplies and resources. This means operating and ready to go vehicles, an emergency kit in the vehicle, and an ability to collect and leave with valuables quickly. Second was insurance- My cabin was insured but my boat tied to a buoy in front of it was not. I got lucky though because the field where the boat is stored was burned by the fire, so if I didn't have it in the water that week, I probably would have lost it. The boat is now insured.... Third was Money- Do I have access to money that I can get immediately for things like a hotel, rental car or flights? I keep a pretty low cash balance at most times so this for me was credit cards with enough room. If you don't have a credit card with 5-10K of room on it, I think it is valuable to keep some cash in a way that is immediately accessible. I thought the evacuation would last for 24-48 hours Max...... It lasted for a week. We got lucky and everything is still standing but there are a lot of people in really tough situations right now, especially in Summerland BC and the surrounding area. Stay Safe, Make sure you are prepared! Zac
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15 Comments
Catherine @ffcatherine · 6d
I’ve had a few emergency backpacks ready in my mud room by the garage .. water & food packs for one week plus dog food, chargers clothes etc & it’s always a good idea to keep some cash in a grab & go somewhere in case your credit cards don’t work etc… if you can’t grab what you need in 5 min & get out then it’s a drill you should practice at least a few x a year just in case Glad it all worked out for you it’s a very stressful situation…
DM @dmomo · 7d
Thank goodness you are safe.
Moe @moementumfinance · 7d
Sorry to hear that Zac. I am glad you, your family and community are all safe. Those are some important money lessons for emergencies. 🙏🏻
JC @icedragon · 6d
Which wildfire was that?
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