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Fire department urges Ready, Set, Go preparedness for Hays neighborhoods
Summary
A fire department representative briefed the Hays City Council on wildfire risks and household preparedness, recommending defensible space, smoke-detector checks, evacuation planning and registration for reverse-911/Alert Central Texas. He offered materials and community training.
The Hays City Council heard a 90-minute briefing on wildfire prevention from a fire department representative who urged residents to prepare homes and family evacuation plans ahead of the spring fire season.
The presenter described wind-driven fires and ember behavior, stressing that embers can travel long distances and ignited debris or unmaintained yards can rapidly spread flames. He outlined the Ready, Set, Go approach — ready (preparation), set (stay alert), go (evacuate) — and recommended creating defensible space around homes, keeping decks and gutters clear of leaves, and avoiding wood mulch where possible.
"Make sure you have smoke detectors in the home," the presenter said, emphasizing battery checks when clocks change. He also recommended household items for an emergency 'go' bag — legal documents, cash, medications, a radio and water — and advised drivers to park facing outward and top off fuel before evacuating.
The presenter offered specific, enforceable details: households consuming excessive water may be subject to utilities enforcement (the council previously flagged the 30,000-gallon threshold), and firefighters prioritize homes with defensible space when resources and water are limited. He demonstrated low-cost measures such as covering grease fires and using a fire blanket or extinguisher, and encouraged residents to learn how to use extinguishers (the presenter described the PASS technique: pull, aim, squeeze, sweep).
Council members asked for materials to distribute in the city newsletter; the presenter agreed to provide brochures and to return for community training. The council also discussed promoting the Alert Central Texas app and reverse-911 registration so off-duty family members can receive area alerts.
The presentation concluded with an offer by the fire department to hold preparedness classes and to supply printable checklists for the city's communications channels.
