Malibu native here...Nothing is really important other than getting out. Once as we fled, we saw fire racing toward our home and an ember landed on our neighbor's deck and lit it on fire.

Most important thing besides people and pets are car keys. During fire season, you should never let your car go to empty on gas!

Nothing else is actually important. You actually don't need a phone for information at this point, you just follow the taillights of other cars because multiple people will be fleeing toward the same shelter/safety spot if you live on a populated street and cops will also be directing you on where to go and what streets are open.

If you have an extra minute, here is a tip: TURN OFF the GAS to your house. This can prevent an explosion AND save a lot of damage to your house. Chances are your electric is already off due to how they turn off power in advance nowadays, but if its on thats the second thing you flip off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids and dogs. Well, and husband, of course. Presumably he'd have the five minutes, too!

After that, I'd grab my documents bag with passports and birth certificates, but if I didn't have the wherewithall to do that so be it.

I guess we'd take two cars to try to save them?

Two cars puts more vehicles on the road. There should be a system whereby only vehicles packed with people (no seatbelts) can get on the highway

+1 the two cars is nuts! You don't split up your family in a moment like this.

Anonymous wrote:Kids and dogs. Well, and husband, of course. Presumably he'd have the five minutes, too!

After that, I'd grab my documents bag with passports and birth certificates, but if I didn't have the wherewithall to do that so be it.

I guess we'd take two cars to try to save them?

Two cars puts more vehicles on the road. There should be a system whereby only vehicles packed with people (no seatbelts) can get on the highway

Kids and dogs. Well, and husband, of course. Presumably he'd have the five minutes, too!

After that, I'd grab my documents bag with passports and birth certificates, but if I didn't have the wherewithall to do that so be it.

I guess we'd take two cars to try to save them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t the point of the fireproof box that you don’t have to grab it?

I'm glad someone else is wondering this. We have a fireproof safe and I've always assumed its purpose was to protect our documents in the event of a fire. It is bolted down so I can't take it with me. Do I need a portable firebox?

They usually have an hour or two rating. Enough time for a typical response from a fire department. The wildfire was hot enough and prolonged enough to melt aluminum wheels. No fireproof safe is going to survive that.

This...if you look at the maximum possible ratings on commercially available safes, they wouldn't have survived this.

Photos, laptop, fire proof box, dad’s art. I’d try to find the cat, but he’s hard to catch and I wouldn’t let him kill me.

Anonymous wrote:"It doesn’t even have to be for a fire."

I think if we are truly talking 5 minutes then most people would agree priorities are loved ones and pets.

But if it was something other than a fire and you had more than 5 minutes, it can get more complicated. Depending on the scenario.

Let's say someone sets off a dirty bomb in DC. Roads are all clogged and you can't use your car. Then what do you do? What should you have with you?

If it's a hurricane you have time to prep. If it's a tornado you don't. If it's freezing cold and all the power goes out for days at a time, that's a different scenario.

I agree that the nature of the emergency necessitating the evacuation might play a role in what got grabbed.

For sure, people first, then pets if there are any (we don’t have any). My work bag is always ready to-go, is a backpack (so easily carried), and has so many necessities (cash, meds, chargers, flash drives, etc) so it’d be a quick grab. DH is somewhat of a “prepper” so he’s got some form of a go-bag/container ready for all of us. LOL, I insisted on a rolling Igloo cooler cause I couldn’t “carry” a filled tote. Best “items”? A fair amount of cash in small denominations and a 6-pack of vodka minis (to drink, sell/trade, or sterilize).

But, sadly, as I age, I’ve gotten less sentimental so little of my “stuff” (including photos) matter.

In the end though, we’d try to keep it to 4 minutes instead of 5….to try to beat the rest of the panicked and crazies out of Dodge.

Anonymous wrote:"It doesn’t even have to be for a fire."

I think if we are truly talking 5 minutes then most people would agree priorities are loved ones and pets.

But if it was something other than a fire and you had more than 5 minutes, it can get more complicated. Depending on the scenario.

Let's say someone sets off a dirty bomb in DC. Roads are all clogged and you can't use your car. Then what do you do? What should you have with you?

If it's a hurricane you have time to prep. If it's a tornado you don't. If it's freezing cold and all the power goes out for days at a time, that's a different scenario.

Dirty bomb? Tape windows. Wait a few days.

This area could never evacuate. Some idiot would park their SUV across the travel lanes to protest their cause.

I have go bags and first aid for my family and dogs.

I heard an interview this morning of a woman displaced by the fires. She had packed two days of clothes and it wasn't enough. I'd try to bring more clothes and plenty of food/water. My youngest is 17 so no need for toys. Chargers. I have important documents scanned and secure online. But I'd grab the originals if possible. Medications.

Most of my pictures are digital. I don't really have sentimental feelings about much else.

"It doesn’t even have to be for a fire."

I think if we are truly talking 5 minutes then most people would agree priorities are loved ones and pets.

But if it was something other than a fire and you had more than 5 minutes, it can get more complicated. Depending on the scenario.

Let's say someone sets off a dirty bomb in DC. Roads are all clogged and you can't use your car. Then what do you do? What should you have with you?

If it's a hurricane you have time to prep. If it's a tornado you don't. If it's freezing cold and all the power goes out for days at a time, that's a different scenario.

My cat.

Kids, spouse, pets.

All of these answers are ridiculous. You grab nothing but your family. Please do not go back inside or delay leaving for freaking photos. Smoke kills! You are also endangering the fire fighters having to go in and rescue you if needed. Your kids may also try to follow you in. Everything including birth certificate, passport, medicine, etc can be replaced.

My pocket rocket.

I have a grab box in the garage that has old clothes that are still serviceable and personal still like meds and toiletries. I do it up every year