GUNFLINT TRAIL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Community Information

Evacuation Procedures

The following information is for Gunflint Trail residents and visitors and is provided by the Gunflint Trail Fire Department and Cook County:

When you evacuate your property/camping area, please follow these steps, assuming you have the time. The safety of you and your family is the most important thing.

1. Let a family member or friend know you are leaving, where you are going, and contact info.

2. If you are a property owner around the fire zone, the Gunflint Trail Fire Department INSTRUCTS you to:

• Remain calm.
• Leave the power and outside lights on; turn off propane to the house or cabin at the tank.
• Turn on your sprinklers if you have time and can safely do so.
• Attach a written note to the door or leave it on the table in the cabin with the date, time, who evacuated, and where you are heading.
• Leave your cabin locked.
• Take your pets with you unless directed otherwise.
• Take your medications with you.
• Tie a white cloth/towel/sheet on your blue street address sign to signify you are gone. (When there is more than one sign on a post, tie the cloth around your sign number.)
• Drive carefully with your headlights on! 

3. Bring at least the following items in your Evacuation Kit and put them on your checklist.

• Prescription medications in ORIGINAL BOTTLES
• Water/protein bars
• Cash and credit cards. Cloud backups, or at least external hard drives you carry with you. Scan important documents and safely store them.
• First Aid Kit
• Eyeglasses, contacts, and solution/equipment, eye drops
• Special equipment/medical supplies for infants, older adults, or people with special needs (such as oxygen, nebulizers, wheelchairs, cane, diapers, formula, etc.)
• Important documents (passwords, living wills, birth certificates, social security cards, other forms of identification, etc.)  
• Phone numbers of out-of-area contacts
• Personal care items/change of clothing
• Pillow/blanket/towel
• Pets: supplies/records/medications
• Charger for all devices, such as cell phones.
• N95 mask or nose/mouth covering.

Preparing for an evacuation before any incident will make the process more efficient and less chaotic.  If you haven’t prepared an evacuation kit, at least have a checklist handy.  This will help during times of stress and lessen the chance of forgetting something important.  You can browse the internet for many sample checklists. Here is just one example. https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/ready_checklist.pdf

Please review your family's unique needs once you read the essential items.