When the Smoke Comes

2 days ago
7 min read

A Nurse’s Advice for Staying Safe During Wildfire Season

If you live in Colorado, you probably don't need me to tell you that wildfire season is something we need to take seriously.

We live in an incredibly beautiful state, and the mountains, forests, and open spaces are a big part of why we love living here. But with that beauty comes the reality that wildfires are part of living in Colorado, especially during hot, dry summers. Even when a fire isn't right outside your door, smoke can travel for miles and affect the air we breathe.

As a nurse who spends a lot of time caring for older adults in their homes, I want to have a little conversation with you about something that isn't always fun to think about: What would you do if you needed to leave your home because of a wildfire? I don't ask that to scare you. I ask because having a plan makes everything a whole lot easier.

First Things First: Know Your Evacuation Zone

If you live in Routt County, take a few minutes to find your evacuation zone. You don't need to memorize it, but you should know where to find the information and make sure your family knows it, too.

Routt County has designated evacuation zones, including zones specific to the Steamboat Springs area. During an emergency, officials may refer to these zones when telling residents which areas need to prepare or evacuate.

And here's my nurse-friend advice: don't wait until there is a fire to figure this out. Find your zone now and show your adult children where it is. They should know it, too.

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts Before You Need Them

This is one of those simple things that takes just a few minutes and can make a huge difference.

If you live in Routt County, sign up for RouttCountyAlerts, the county's emergency notification system. These alerts can provide information about wildfires, evacuation orders, severe weather, and other emergencies that may affect your safety.

Need help registering? You can call 970-870-5549 for assistance.

You can also sign up for local road-closure and traffic notifications by texting ROUTTTRAFFIC to 888777.

And if you're an adult child who lives somewhere else, this is a great way to help your parent. Sit down together, make sure their home address and contact information are correct, and make sure they understand what an emergency alert will look and sound like when it comes through.

Routt County also allows residents to identify access or functional needs when registering. This can be particularly helpful for older adults who may need additional assistance during an emergency or evacuation.

Pro Tip: Make sure your phone settings aren't preventing emergency notifications from coming through. If you use Do Not Disturb or other notification settings, check that critical emergency alerts can still reach

you.

Understand the Difference Between "Get Ready" and "Go"

You may hear the words PRE-EVACUATION and EVACUATION during a wildfire. Pre-evacuation essentially means, "Things are getting serious. Be ready to leave."

This is especially important for older adults. If you need extra time to get dressed, gather medications, get your walker into the car, hook up oxygen, get your pet ready, or arrange transportation, you don't want to wait until the last minute.

If you're told to evacuate, it's time to go. This is one of those situations where I would much rather see you leave a little earlier than have you trying to get out when everyone else is doing the same thing.

Let's Talk About Your Medications

Imagine someone calling you right now and saying, "You need to leave your house in 10 minutes." Could you grab everything you need?

Most people would probably say no, and that's okay. That's why we're planning ahead.

Start with your medications. Keep an up-to-date medication list somewhere easy to find, and even better, keep a copy in your emergency bag. Your list should include medication names, doses, how often you take them, your doctor's name, your pharmacy and phone number, and any medication allergies.

And please don't forget about the things that aren't technically "medications." Your glasses, hearing aids and extra batteries, CPAP, oxygen, walker, dentures, blood sugar supplies, wound-care supplies and anything else you need to get through a normal day all need to be part of your evacuation plan.

Make Yourself a Little "Go Bag"

This doesn't need to be fancy, and please don't feel like you need to spend hundreds of dollars creating some elaborate emergency kit. A backpack, tote bag, or small suitcase will work just fine.

I would include your medication list and essential medications, phone charger and portable battery, glasses, hearing aid supplies and batteries, a change of clothes, comfortable shoes, basic toiletries, important documents, water and snacks, a flashlight, a well-fitting N95 or similar particulate respirator if

appropriate for you, and pet supplies if you have a furry family member.

Put it somewhere you can easily get to, and make sure you can actually lift it. A 50-pound emergency bag isn't going to do you much good if you can't get it into the car.

Don't Forget About the Smoke

You don't have to see flames to be affected by a wildfire. Smoke can travel a long way, and for some people, it can cause significant health problems.

Older adults can be more sensitive to wildfire smoke, particularly those who already have heart or lung conditions. You may notice coughing, a scratchy throat, burning or watery eyes, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath or worsening of existing breathing or heart symptoms.

When the air quality is poor, try to stay indoors as much as possible, keep your windows and doors closed, and consider using an air purifier with appropriate filtration.

Here in Steamboat Springs, we can sometimes have smoky conditions even when there isn't a fire immediately nearby. Smoke from fires elsewhere in Colorado or neighboring states can travel into the Yampa Valley, so it's worth paying attention to air-quality conditions even when you don't see a fire on the

horizon.

Adult Children, I'm Talking to You Now

If your mom or dad lives independently, I want you to ask yourself a question: Could I get them out of the house if they needed to leave tonight?

If the answer is, "I'm not sure," that's okay. Now is the perfect time to figure it out.

Call your parent and talk through it. Ask, "If there was an evacuation order tonight, what would you need me to help with?"

Maybe they need someone to drive them, help getting their walker into the car, assistance gathering medications, or help with a pet. Maybe they don't drive anymore, or maybe they simply become overwhelmed when there is a lot happening at once.

Whatever it is, figure it out now.

Don't Assume You'll Be the One Who Can Help

This is an important one. If you live elsewhere and your parent lives in Steamboat Springs, don't make your entire evacuation plan depend on you being able to drive up the mountain during an emergency.

Have a backup. Maybe it's a neighbor, friend, sibling or another family member who lives closer. I want you to have Plan A and Plan B, and make sure your parent knows both plans.

It can also help to have a trusted neighbor who knows your parent may need assistance. In an emergency, having someone nearby who can knock on the door or help your parent get into a vehicle can make a huge difference.

Decide Where You'll Go

"Leave the house" isn't a complete evacuation plan. If you leave your home, where will you go?

Maybe it's your daughter's house, a friend's home, a hotel or an emergency shelter. Whatever it is, talk about it ahead of time, and if you have a pet, make sure your plan includes them, too.

Create a Simple Family Communication Plan

You don't need a 12-page emergency binder. You just need everyone to know what they're supposed to do.

For example, Mom gets ready and leaves when instructed, your daughter calls Mom and makes sure she's on her way, your son arranges transportation and confirms where Mom is going, and your granddaughter keeps an eye on emergency updates and communicates with the rest of the family.

If you have siblings, pick one person to be the main communicator. During an emergency, the last thing Mom needs is four children calling her at the same time asking, "What's happening? What are you doing? Where are you going?"

Give everyone a job.

What If You Only Have a Few Minutes?

If you get an evacuation order and have very little time, don't try to save the house. Take care of the people

first.

My priority list would be:

People
Medications and essential medical equipment
Pets
Important documents
Phone and charger
Emergency bag
Anything else you can safely grab

Your photographs and belongings are important, and I completely understand that. But they can be replaced. You can't.

One More Thing: Let's Practice

Here's my challenge for you. This weekend, sit down with your family and ask, "Okay, if we got an evacuation order tonight, what would we do?"

Then walk through it together. Where are the medications? Where is the go bag? Who is driving? Where are we going? Who is getting the dog? What if the primary driver can't get there? What if Mom needs extra help? What if the power goes out?

You may discover a few things you hadn't thought about, and that's a good thing. That's exactly what planning is for.

A Little Nurse-to-Friend Advice

I know emergency planning can feel overwhelming, and if you're an older adult, I also understand that the idea of leaving your home can feel especially unsettling. You've built a life there, and your home is filled with memories, routines, and things that are important to you.

The purpose of planning isn't to scare you. It's to give you options.

And if you're an adult child, planning isn't about taking away your parent's independence. It's about making sure that if they need you, you know exactly how to show up.

So here's your homework: know your evacuation zone, sign up for emergency alerts, put together a small go bag, update your medication list, talk to your kids or your parents, and have a Plan B.

Then go back to enjoying this beautiful Colorado summer.

Because being prepared doesn't mean we have to be scared. It means that if the smoke comes, we're ready.

Let's be prepared, not scared.

We're here for you.

Together... we've got this!