The Good to Go! program is designed to help you create your personal evacuation plan. In a series of six Good to Go! modules, you will learn how to get ready, stay informed, evacuate and return from wildfire. Read how Sunol the community tested the program during evacuation from the SCU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020 pdf.
From 2019- 2021, Diablo FireSafe Council worked with a leadership team of residents, supported by the Alameda County Fire Department and the Santa Clara Unit of CAL FIRE to develop this pilot program (pdf) for Sunol, California. Funding was provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program.
Since this program is in its early form, we hope you will give us feedback on what works for you or what is missing. We look forward to hearing from you as you discover how to be Good to Go!
Getting Your Community Good to Go!
“Three Easy Steps to Customize Good to Go” explains how to modify the six module workbooks for your community. Download the instructions (pdf) to see an example of how all six workbooks could be customized for the Sleepy Hollow community in Orinda (Contra Costa County, California). The Good to Go program works best when it has a community actively supporting it.
Customizing your personal evacuation plan
See the Good to Go Sunol Resources tab to download a workbook or link to YouTube presentations of the six modules to begin customizing an evacuation plan for your family.
Modules
Good to Go! is a modular learning and action approach to prepare community members for evacuation from wildfire. The program builds upon existing CAL FIRE and local Alameda and Contra Costa fire departments’ accepted programs and outreach methods. It borrows from effective programs from around the United States, Australia and Canada. An annotated bibliography of sources used to develop the program is available as a pdf.
The program is designed to leverage community activity for incremental innovation. Our philosophy is to learn by doing and solving challenges. Workbooks with checklists and activities, as well as videos available on YouTube, help you pick and choose information to customize your personal evacuation plan. See the Good to Go Sunol Resources tab to download a workbook, link to YouTube videos and other ideas on how to involve your community.
Module 1. Getting Ready to Go!
How to know when to go.
Learn about existing evacuation alerting systems so you can know when to be ready to evacuate. Includes: warnings, notifications, communications and situational awareness, and lessons learned from the 2017 and 2018 fires. Five actions and associated checklists help you start your personal evacuation plan.
Module 2. Set to go!
What to take when you go.
Prepares you for immediate evacuation, or for when evacuation is a possibility. Also prepares you to shelter in place and for public safety power shutoffs. Eight actions are included to help you prioritize your “got to go” checklists, dress for survival, lighten up your Go Bag and develop additional critical parts of your personal evacuation plan.
Module 3. Way to go!
How to know which way to go.
Details the evacuation process and what to expect, including: when to evacuate, where to go, what to do if faced with challenges. Five actions help you document your best options if driving out, sheltering or trapped.
Module 4. Everyone goes!
Evacuating pets and large animals.
Pet preparedness includes both small and large animals. Twelve actions help you customize your evacuation plan to include your animals. Included are checklists by species with tips for both evacuation or if you have to leave your pet. First aid, after the wildfire, and lost-and-found pet checklists are also provided. Large animal preparation includes barn lists, checklists, special considerations for horses, and tips if you have to leave large animals behind.
Module 5: Going home!
Tips for returning after a wildfire evacuation.
Going home covers what to look for as you are returning home. Eight actions highlight what to look for on the way, around your home, immediately outside and inside. Checklists also detail cleaning up, food safety and your pets to complete your personalized evacuation plan.
Module 6: Good to Go Just in Time!
Last minute tips to help you evacuate from wildfire.
Just in time focuses on 4 moments that should trigger you to act: Fire Weather Watch, Red Flag Warning, Evacuation Warning, and Evacuation Orders. Also discussed are: influences on wildfire evacuation decisions, when to evacuate, and what to expect during an evacuation. Eight checklists highlight appropriate actions and when.
