For a one-closet apartment kit, keep the first flashlight and portable bag easy to reach, place heavy sealed water on an appropriate stable lower surface, and label food, batteries and contact updates. Avoid blocking building exits, sprinkler controls, electrical panels or accessible routes. Plan quantities using household needs before allocating shelf space.
Home Safety guides
For a rental, start with a reachable flashlight or headlamp in sleeping areas and portable, low-glare light for the safe exit path. Verify batteries, charging and any permitted removable mounting. Avoid candles, blocked exits, damaged extension cords or DIY electrical changes. Test normal movement rather than waiting for a blackout.
Tall bookcases, dressers and storage racks can tip during an earthquake and block exits. Move heavy breakable items lower, keep tall furniture away from beds and travel routes where feasible, and secure appropriate items to structural framing with correctly rated model-specific hardware. Drywall alone is not a reliable anchoring substrate; ask for qualified help when wall construction or lease rules are uncertain.
Decks can be exposed to embers on top, combustible objects underneath and fire moving through attached components into a house. Before wildfire season, remove safely reachable combustible clutter, observe exposed joints from stable ground and ask a qualified contractor about approved decking, flashing and enclosure details. Do not crawl beneath unsafe structures or install improvised ember screening.
A wildfire evacuation car kit should support an early, lawful departure—not driving through flames or closed roads. Keep a tested charging lead, paper contacts, maps and appropriate water/food accessible; load medication, documents, pet carriers and child essentials from personal bags when departing. Check fuel or charge and a backup ride before warnings, then follow local evacuation routes.
Before wildfire season, give each pet an appropriate carrier or restraint, current identification, necessary medicines and records, and an agreed caregiver when you are away. Confirm an actual pet-friendly destination and transport capacity, and plan to leave early when loading animals takes time. An animal kit is not a reason to delay an evacuation order.