What should I do if a house or barn fire occurs:

• Use a fire extinguisher, blankets, or water to extinguish a small fire
• If the fire is too large for you to put out, close the doors to isolate the fire and exit the house as quickly as possible (Take People/Pets/Keys/Purse/Wallet)
• Go outside and call 911 with a cordless phone or run to your neighbors

• DIAL 911

  Because the 911 operator may try to transfer you to Riverside County Dispatch, describe your emergency and say:
  
  “My lot number is ____ in Rancho Carrillo. Please send Orange County Fire Authority to respond from Station 7 or 58. They know where we are! Our Gate is on Mile Marker 8 on Ortega Hwy 74.”

  After calling 911, if possible, please notify Rancho Carrillo Fire Department Personnel for assistance:

  Brent Chase                      -0128
  Keith Warren                    -0159
  Leo & Cheryl Gardarian   -0305
  Chris LaDue                     -0452
  Nancy Streza                    -0711
  Steve Tustison                  -0723

• If you cannot reach anyone, pull the fire alarm at the fire station

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I see flames directly along our access road or in Rancho Carrillo proper, who do I call?

• Call 911 first and then call a local volunteer firefighter.   If it is small enough for you to safely extinguish with your fire extinguisher, do it! br />

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I smell smoke.  What should I do?

• Look out  your window or drive around the valley
  
• Monitor emergency websites:
     CHP  -   http://cad.chp.ca.gov/   (Change to Orange County in upper left corner box)
  
     Orange County Fire Incidents http://www.ocfa.org/ocfamain.asp?pgn1=3
          (You can sign up to receive OC major incidents by email at this website too
  
      Riverside Co Fire Incidents:  
            http://tcfireweb.co.riverside.ca.us/firepio/process?action=viewIncidents
  
       Sign up to receive incident report emails from Riverside County Fire dept
             http://www.rivco-ealert.com/user/subscribe.aspx?id=1037
  
• Call a Rancho Carrillo Volunteer Fire Dept. member. (If you don't have a current directory, call Nancy at -0711 for one.)
  
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How will I know if a forest fire is headed our way?

• You will receive a phone call. We have a OneCallNow system in place with our residents' home and cell numbers.  (Update your numbers with Nancy at -0711)
  
• Watch or listen to the local news

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What should I do if I learn that a forest fire is headed our way?

• Stay calm
• Keep the roads and driveways clear for fire equipment. 
• Gather your valuables and important documents (medicines, purse/wallet,  insurance papers, deeds, auto registrations, passports, birth certificates, stock certificates; extra clothes)
• Load your escape vehicle and park it facing the exit.  Leave keys in the ignition.  

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The fire is getting closer – what can I do to help?

• Close all windows and doors as well as inside doors.    Unlock doors.
• Open the gate to your driveway   – disengage the motor
• Turn on exterior lights
• Close blinds and remove lightweight curtains.
• Turn off propane at the tank.
• Turn off lawn or tree watering sprinkling systems
  
• Put all flammable lawn furniture in the house or garage.
• Trim branches that are touching your house
• Close garage doors and disable openers
• Leave electricity on for lights and pumps.
• Connect garden hoses so the firefighters can use them.
• Place ladder against front of house.
• If you leave a vehicle outside, park it away from the house, facing an exit  in an open area, leaving plenty of room for many emergency vehicles to enter your driveway; leave keys in ignition.  Close all windows.  If you leave a vehicle in the garage, leave keys in ignition.
• Keep the access road to Ortega Highway clear so fire equipment can get up here. 
• Turn horses and farm animals out of the barn and/or take them to the fire station arena.  Close barn doors.  Do not let them run loose in the valley or the wilderness.
• Use a digital camera or video recorder to take pictures of your house, furniture and anything that you would want replaced by the insurance company!   Take your camera with you!
  
  

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DON’T DO THESE THINGS:

• Don’t hose down your house with water unless there are flames touching it.   It will quickly evaporate and use up precious water.
• Don’t drive your horse trailer down the hill.  It will block the road and prevent fire trucks from coming up.
• Don’t Panic
• Don’t let your horses run loose in the valley.  They are safer in a pasture or at the rec center’s arena. 
• Don’t leave your animals in the house or barn.  Either take them with you in your car, lock them in an outside pen or let them run loose.
  
  
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Where do I go?  What do I do?

• BE SAFE!   Don’t put yourself or your family or your neighbors at risk.  
• You may choose to go to the Fire Station lot. Use “Hooligan parking areas.”  Stay calm.  Offer to help or stay out of the way.
• If you choose to leave Rancho Carrillo, notify the Fire Station (728-0600) where you are going  and how you can be reached.
• In case of a quick evacuation – or if you are unable to get home to Rancho Carrillo, meet your neighbors in the parking lot in front of Ballpark Pizza in San Juan Capistrano (or a designated Red Cross Shelter).  Call the RC Fire Department office for updates  728-0600.
• You should have an out-of-state emergency contact. Instruct your family members to call that number if the local phone lines are jammed during an emergency. The out-of-state person can help your entire family to keep in touch with one another.
• Rancho Carrillo has survived emergencies in the past. Make friends with your neighbors during good times, so that in case of emergencies, you will know who to call!