If It Could Happen in Los Angeles...

July 13 was supposed to be a day off from seeing clients. Wayne was out running errands with our one car. We only have one because we both typically work from home. I was catching up on follow-up work and answering emails when my phone buzzed with an evacuation alert.

I had to read it three times before it really sank in. Was this real?

I immediately called Wayne and told him to come home so we could get Chobani and leave.  Even though we have an emergency "go" list taped to our refrigerator, a list we created a few years ago when wildfires came uncomfortably close, I still felt the panic start to set in.

One thought kept running through my mind:

"If Los Angeles can burn down, so can Fort Collins or Loveland."

Fortunately, the evacuation order was lifted before Wayne even made it home. We never had to leave.

But it was a powerful reminder that emergencies don't always give us time to prepare.

So let us ask you a question:

If you had 10 minutes to leave your home, would you know exactly what to take for both you and your pets?

Now is the time to make a plan, not when you're standing in your driveway watching smoke approach. We recommend creating an emergency checklist and keeping it somewhere everyone in your household can find it. List the essentials for every family member, including the four-legged ones. If you have extras of things, have them already packed in a bag that is ready to go with your additional items.

For your pets, consider packing:

• Food and water for several days

• Medications and medical records

• Leash, harness, and extra collar

• Crate or carrier

• Waste bags and litter supplies (if applicable)

• Bowls

• Favorite toy or comfort item

• Blanket or bedding

• Vaccination records and microchip information

• Recent photos of your pet in case you become separated

Preparing doesn't mean expecting the worst, it means giving yourself one less thing to worry about if the unexpected happens.

We were fortunate this time. The alert was lifted, and life returned to normal. But the experience reminded us that disasters don't only happen somewhere else.

Take 15 minutes this week to make your family's emergency plan. We hope you never need it, but if you do, you'll be glad it's ready.