‘It’s going to be stressful’: Bend fire chief shares tips to avoid the scramble of evacuation

(Update: Adding video and poll, comments from Bend fire chief)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Natural disasters have battered the West this season, from hurricanes and tropical storms to large wildfires, even earthquakes. This month alone has shown how quickly disaster can strike. But if an emergency happened near you, would you be ready?

"If you're told to 'Go now!' and you haven't done any work beforehand, it's going to be stressful. It's going to be a scramble." Bend Fire Chief Todd Riley said Wednesday.

After watching the frantic dash to safety for some in Maui, a NewsChannel 21 viewer wondered about whether there are any specified evacuation routes in Bend, and if they have been made public.

But Riley says the unpredictable variability of disaster planning makes it impossible to have concrete plans in place for specified routes.

"A fire can come from the west, and from any other direction, making it impossible to always say, 'Go this way in an emergency,'" he said. "So saying a certain way could put you in the path of danger. You know your neighborhood and alternate routes, and maybe you can even sneak out the back."

Having water and non-perishable food at hand or in storage, in case of emergency, is just one of the ways you can stay prepared.

Signing up for Deschutes Alerts notifications (and similar systems in other counties) is one important way for residents to stay on top of emergencies near them.

When packing, Riley says to remember the Five Ps: People, pets, prescriptions, photos, and papers.

Evacuation notices are announced at three levels. Level 1 is Get Ready, meaning to prepare in case of evacuation. Level 2 is Get Set, including packing your car with all of your belongings and being ready to leave at a moment's notice. And Level 3 means Go Now!

But Riley said residents should not rely solely on official notices to tell them when to leave -- or wait for Level 3 to be declared, necessarily.

"If you feel nervous, or you know there's a disaster close by, and you feel like leaving is prudent, please do that," he said. "Waiting for an official to tell you to leave, you might be waiting too long -- or we may simply never be able to get to you."