When a wildfire hits, your actions matter.

The decisions you make – and how quickly and confidently you make them – will save time, save stress, and maybe save your life. That’s why I’m asking you to mark your calendar now and plan to take part in our citywide Wildfire Evacuation Drill on Saturday, June 14.

On the morning of June 14, Piedmont’s firefighters and police will be practicing a real-world evacuation scenario with residents in the Blair/Scenic neighborhood. Just like in a real wildfire, we won’t be everywhere all at once. So while this drill is happening, we’re asking the rest of Piedmont to grab a cup of coffee, find a place you like to focus for a while, and complete an at-home activity with your household.

Afterwards, trade your slippers for shoes and  join us at the Fire Station for a community debrief and conversation. Talking through what we experienced — what worked, what didn’t, and what we learned — is how first responders process our own exercises. It’s also how we improve as a community.

I know everyone is busy. But in the time it takes to sip a cup of tea, you can gain the skills to ensure your family is ready and save critical minutes in a future emergency.

We’ve designed your at-home exercise to be simple, quick, and impactful. No preparation is needed. All you need is 30 minutes with the people you live with and a willingness to talk through a realistic wildfire scenario that we provide. We’ll give you clear instructions and discussion prompts — things like: What route would you take if roads were closed? Who grabs the pets? Where will you go if you can’t come home?

Just like our firefighters train every day, this exercise is about building muscle memory — so that if a real evacuation happens, you’ll know what you need to do and can execute your evacuation plan quickly and confidently. Practicing helps fill gaps in your plan, gives everyone a role, and makes your response faster and calmer.

This year’s event builds on the success of our 2022 evacuation exercise, which we conducted in the Maxwelton neighborhood. We used what we learned from that experience to re-write the City’s Emergency Operations Plan and fine-tune our coordination with partner agencies.

Participating in our at-home activity on June 14 will allow you to do the same. Think about how good it will feel to move from the anxiety of “I don’t want to think about it” to the confidence of “I know what to do if the worst happens.”

Wildfire risk in Piedmont is real. But so is your ability to prepare.

Please save the date and plan to join us on June 14. You’ll walk away safer, more confident, and better prepared — and you’ll be helping make Piedmont stronger for everyone.