Emergency Evacuation Go-Bag Checklist

Overview

When a wildfire evacuation order hits, you have minutes — not hours. This guide helps you build and maintain a ready-to-grab emergency kit for your animals, and walks through the official Ready–Set–Go evacuation phases used by San Diego County. Organized so you grab the most critical items first.

Know Your Zone

1. Visit alertsandiego.org or install the Genasys Protect app
2. Enter your address — your zone code appears on the map
3. Write the zone code on a card and put it in your go-bag
4. Repeat for every address where you’re responsible for animals — home, barn, second property, neighbor’s land if you board there

When an evacuation order is issued, the zone code is how you’ll know whether it applies to you. Don’t rely on recognizing your street name in a news broadcast.

Apps & Alerts to Install NOW

Install before fire season. Configure alerts for your area.

• Genasys Protect — official San Diego County evacuation zone and alert app
• Watch Duty — volunteer-maintained live wildfire tracking, independent of government delays
• PulsePoint — real-time fire department dispatch data; tells you when units roll on incidents near you
• San Diego County Emergency — official SD County app for all hazards
• SDG&E Alerts — power outage and PSPS notifications
• AlertSanDiego — opt-in phone/email/text alerts from the County (register at alertsandiego.org)

San Diego County Emergency Phone List

Save these to your phone, and print a copy for your go-bag (cell service may be unreliable during fires).

The Ready–Set–Go Framework

San Diego Fire-Rescue and CAL FIRE use three operational phases for wildfire response. Your actions at each phase are different.

• Ready — before any fire is active. Preparation and prevention.
• Set — an evacuation WARNING has been issued for your area, or a fire is near. Move from prep to staging.
• Go — an evacuation ORDER has been issued, or conditions demand immediate departure. Execute.

There’s a fourth phase the official framework doesn’t cover but you’ll live through:

• Return — after the evacuation is lifted. Do not assume safe because told to return.

Each phase has its own checklist below.

Shelter-in-Place Protocols

Sometimes evacuation isn’t possible. Late warning, roads closed, animals that can’t be moved in time.

If you must shelter in place:

1. Move all animals into the most fire-resistant structure available — metal barn, concrete block building, basement
2. Close everything — doors, windows, vents, pet doors
3. Block gaps with wet towels
4. Fill bathtubs, sinks, and buckets with water
5. Keep animals together for mutual calming
6. Stay low; smoke rises
7. Call 911, report your location and the animals with you
8. Do NOT open the door until fire officials clear the area — even when fire seems past

Smoke & Air Quality

Smoke is often the first emergency, sometimes without flames.

• AQI 100–150: sensitive animals (brachycephalic dogs, animals with respiratory conditions) should stay indoors
• AQI 150–200: all animals indoors when possible; no exercise
• AQI 200+: evacuation should be considered even without a fire order; airborne particles alone are hazardous
• Check airnow.gov or purpleair.com for real-time local AQI
• Handlers should wear N95s; ordinary cloth masks do not filter particulates
• Animals with respiratory conditions: keep their medications accessible, not buried in a kit

PSPS — Public Safety Power Shutoffs

SDG&E shuts off power preemptively during extreme fire weather. This is more common than active fires and affects your animals.

What stops working

• Water pumps (wells, troughs with float valves)
• Refrigeration (vaccines, refrigerated medications, perishable feed)
• Heating and cooling
• Electric fencing
• Internet and some cell service

Prepare

• 5+ days of stored water for livestock
• Generator sized for well pump + essential refrigeration, plus enough fuel for 3+ days
• Battery backups for essential medical equipment (nebulizers, CPAP for kittens in incubators, etc.)
• Subscribe to SDG&E alerts to get advance notice
• Coolers + ice for medications if power exceeds refrigerator autonomy

Trailer & Loading Practice

• Load every large animal into their transport at least quarterly
• Practice at night (animals may need to load in the dark)
• Practice with strangers present (the person loading may not be you)
• Practice with less-cooperative volunteers (not just your most trusted friend)
• Keep a trailer hitched or within 10 minutes of hitch-ready during fire season

Insurance Documentation

Post-fire recovery is dramatically better with pre-fire documentation.

• Photograph every building interior and exterior, including equipment
• Video walkthroughs capture more detail than stills
• Inventory animals with descriptions, ages, registration papers, estimated replacement value
• Itemize medication stocks, feed, fencing, vehicles
• Store copies off-property: cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox), email to yourself, out-of-state family
• Review your policy before fire season — confirm coverage for livestock, feed loss, debris removal, alternate housing

Livestock Water Requirements

Minimum daily water requirements under normal conditions:

• Horse (500 kg): 10 gallons; under heat stress or exertion, 15–20
• Cow: 10–15 gallons; lactating or heat-stressed, 20–30
• Pig (adult): 3–5 gallons
• Goat or sheep: 2 gallons
• Poultry: 1 quart per 4 birds

For a 3-day supply, multiply by 3 and add 20% for spillage, cleaning, and unexpected exertion. This shapes how you pre-stage water — 5-gallon buckets and portable tanks, not small jugs.

Maintenance Schedule

An emergency kit is only useful if it’s current. Set a recurring calendar reminder.

• Monthly: check water and food expiration dates
• Every 6 months: rotate medications, update vet records and photos
• Annually: test carriers/crates, replace worn leashes, verify evacuation contacts
• After any evacuation: restock everything you used within 48 hours