If you only had 5 minutes to leave your home, what would you take?

 If you only had 5 minutes to leave your home, what would you take?

Many people are facing that reality right now.

I know that feeling. In 2001, when my cabana burned in the Zipolite fire, I had only minutes to get out. It was terrifying. I didn't have an emergency go bag, and I lost so much.

Do you have one? Really?

As I sit here in smoky Vancouver, I'm grateful. I'm unhoused, but I'm thankful to be couch surfing and to have access to an air purifier. I've been living out of two suitcases for the past six years, but this is a reminder that my emergency backpack still needs updating with a proper first aid kit, flashlight, copies of important documents, water, and other essentials. 

I do have a hand-crank emergency radio with a flashlight, solar charging, and a phone charger. It was only about $25 online, and I think it's a critical piece of any emergency kit.

I truly believe governments should help provide basic emergency kits for people, especially as wildfires and other climate disasters become more common.

My heart breaks for everyone affected by the fires across British Columbia. More than 230 homes have already been destroyed, and many families have lost everything, including beloved pets. I'm deeply grateful there has been no reported loss of life.

With so many communities still under evacuation alerts, and wildfire season expected to continue until October or even November unless heavy rains or snow arrive, this is a reminder for all of us: be prepared.

Please take a few minutes today to make or update your emergency go bag. I hope you never need it. ❤️‍🩹🌲🙏😪💔

Reflective Questions

Some questions I've been asking myself...

Why don't more of us have an emergency go bag ready?

Where can people get emergency kits? What should be in them? If you have one, what would you add?

Should governments be helping provide basic emergency kits, especially for seniors, people with disabilities, low-income families, and those at higher risk?

As more communities face wildfires, floods, and heat waves, are our leaders doing enough to prepare us?

To our mayors, premiers, and Prime Minister: what more can be done to help people prepare before disaster strikes, not just after?

And what about housing? We already have a housing crisis, and now more than 230 homes have been destroyed by wildfire. Every home lost is another family searching for shelter.

The trauma runs deep. People lose cherished possessions, family photographs, livelihoods, and sometimes beloved pets. Many are left with grief, guilt, and memories that stay with them for a lifetime.

At what point do we take climate change as seriously as the science tells us we should? How do we better protect our forests, our communities, and the people who call them home?

These aren't easy questions, but they're questions worth asking.

Please... if you don't already have one, take some time this week to prepare an emergency go bag. I hope you never need it. ❤️🌲🙏

#BCWildfires

#EmergencyPreparedness

#GoBag

#ClimateAction

#HousingCrisis

#CommunityResilience

#WildfireSeason

#BePrepared

#ProtectOurForests

#ClimateResilience