A Close Call During the Driscoll Fire

As the Living With Fire Outreach Coordinator, knowing quick updates of current fires is important so we can notify our audience via social media. On Wednesday, I scrolled through Twitter to learn more about the Hawken Fire and I read a Reno Fire Department tweet, “Crews on the scene of another fire threatening structures off of Driscoll Dr. Fire attack is underway #DriscollFire.” My blood ran cold. That’s near my house. Adrenaline pumped through my body as I raced my car from the office to my house. Once in my neighborhood, I was stopped by Reno Police Department and was forced to park my vehicle one-third of a mile away from my house. I got out and literally ran up steep streets to grab my dog and personal belongings.  The closer to my house, the more the streets were cluttered with fire engines, NV Energy vehicles, unmarked white trucks and Volunteer Search and Rescue vehicles. Fire hoses ran along the street and water trickled from them down the pavement. Once I reached the corner of my street, some of my neighbors congregated  and watched firefighters spray water at the charred, smoking fire scar. The fire was mostly contained and except for one damaged structure, all homes were saved. A wave of relief came over me. We are safe. Thank goodness for the swift action of the Reno Fire Department and other emergency responders. Fire season is upon us, and it’s important to be prepared for potential evacuations. I was not prepared this time.

The Living With Fire website has interactive multimedia that explains what you can do during a fire , as well as an evacuation checklist . For example, did you consider that you should take important documents such as bank, IRS, trust, investment, insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, medical and immunization records, wills, contracts, titles and deeds? Or did you think to bring your pet’s medication and vaccination information? It’s also a good idea to have pictures of your animal that show distinguishing marks just in case your pet gets lost. I never considered any of these, but now I have a box of these documents and pictures that I can grab if I’m forced to quickly evacuate. Now I am prepared for the next time.

Please take the time to check out these links. Stay tuned for other blogs on my experiences of a homeowner in a fire prone area.

Jamie Roice-Gomes

Jamie Roice-Gomes is the outreach coordinator with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living with Fire Program.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and a Master of Arts in Interactive Environmental Journalism. She was a public relations assistant for Conrad Communications, a public information officer intern at the Nevada Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, and a Biological Science Technician at the USDA-Agriculture Research Service. She also enjoys volleyball, the Great Basin Desert, and spending time with family. Contact Jamie at 775-336-0261 or roicej@unce.unr.edu.