Villa Park residents should prepare for two different fire risks: preventing and escaping a fire inside the home and being ready for wildfire conditions in Orange County. A simple plan, working alarms and early preparation can make it easier to respond quickly when an emergency occurs.
Home Fire Safety
Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Install working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in each bedroom and outside sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms monthly and replace smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Carbon monoxide alarms should also be installed on every level and in sleeping areas. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, move everyone, including pets, outside and call 911.
Create a Two-Minute Home Escape Plan
Create a home escape plan that identifies two ways out of every room and a designated meeting place a safe distance outside. Practice the plan with everyone in the household at least twice a year and work toward getting everyone outside in two minutes or less. Plan in advance who will assist young children, older adults or household members who may need help.
Sleep with bedroom doors closed. During an evacuation, stay low beneath smoke and heat, check doors for heat before opening them and use a secondary exit if a door is warm. Close doors behind you as you leave when possible to help slow the spread of smoke and fire.
What to Do During a House Fire
If a fire occurs, get out and stay out. Go directly to your outside meeting place and call 911 once you are safely outside. Do not go back inside for belongings, pets or other people; tell firefighters if someone or a pet may still be inside.
If clothing catches fire, remember Stop, Drop and Roll: stop instead of running, drop to the ground, cover your face and roll until the flames are out.
A fire extinguisher should only be used by an adult who knows how to use it, when the fire is small and contained and there is a clear, safe escape route. Getting everyone safely outside takes priority.
Earthquake Gas Shutoff Valves
Earthquakes can damage natural gas piping and create a fire hazard. An earthquake natural gas shutoff valve, also called a seismic gas shutoff valve, is designed to automatically stop the flow of gas when an earthquake of sufficient magnitude occurs at the home. SoCalGas states that these valves must be installed on the customer’s house line rather than on SoCalGas facilities. Homeowners considering one should use a qualified professional and confirm applicable local requirements. If an earthquake valve activates, SoCalGas recommends having a qualified professional or SoCalGas check the system before service and appliances are returned to operation.
Do not shut off natural gas at the meter simply because an earthquake occurred. Follow SoCalGas emergency guidance and, if gas is shut off at the meter, leave it off until service can be safely restored.
Wildfire Preparedness in Villa Park
The Orange County Fire Authority’s Ready, Set, Go program provides wildfire-preparedness guidance for Orange County residents. The approach is straightforward: prepare your property before a wildfire, prepare your household to leave and evacuate early when wildfire threatens.
Ready: Prepare Your Home
Wildfire preparation starts before there is smoke in the air. OCFA emphasizes home hardening, vegetation management and ember awareness. Embers can travel ahead of a wildfire and ignite vulnerable areas of a home or combustible material nearby.
Villa Park homeowners can use OCFA’s Online Home Assessment to review basic home-hardening and defensible-space conditions and receive recommendations for reducing fire hazards.
Set: Build a Go Bag & Family Plan
Prepare before a wildfire threatens. OCFA recommends emergency supplies for every member of the household for at least three days and a Go Bag that can be taken quickly during an evacuation. Plan for everyone in the household, including pets.
- Medications
- Water and basic food
- Clothing
- First aid supplies
- Important documents
- Phone and charging equipment
- Cash and other essential personal items
- Pet food, carriers, medications and other pet supplies
Know where your household will meet and where you can go if evacuated. Identify several evacuation routes in advance because roads may be blocked or unsafe during a wildfire.
Go: Wildfire Evacuation
Leaving early is the safest strategy when wildfire threatens. Do not delay an evacuation to gather nonessential belongings. Take your household, pets and prepared emergency supplies and use a route away from the fire. Follow instructions from emergency officials and be prepared to use an alternate route.
Villa Park & OCFA Fire Resources
Fire protection in Villa Park is provided by the Orange County Fire Authority. For an immediate fire, medical or life-safety emergency, call 911.
- OCFA Smoke Alarms & Home Escape Plan
- OCFA Ready, Set, Go
- OCFA Online Home Assessment
- City of Villa Park Public Safety
- SoCalGas Earthquake & Excess Flow Valves
Fire Safety FAQ
How often should I test my smoke alarms?
OCFA recommends testing smoke alarms once a month and replacing the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
How often should my family practice a fire escape plan?
Practice your home escape plan at least twice a year.
How quickly should we be able to escape?
Practice until everyone can escape the home in two minutes or less.
Should bedroom doors be open or closed while sleeping?
OCFA recommends sleeping with bedroom doors closed to help slow the spread of fire and smoke.
What should be in a wildfire Go Bag?
Include essentials needed to evacuate safely, such as medications, water, food, clothing, first aid supplies, important documents, phone charging equipment and supplies for pets. OCFA recommends emergency supplies sufficient for at least three days.
What is OCFA Ready, Set, Go?
Ready, Set, Go is OCFA’s wildfire preparedness program. Ready focuses on preparing the home, Set on preparing the household and emergency supplies, and Go on leaving early and safely when wildfire threatens.
How can Villa Park homeowners prepare for wildfire?
Start with home hardening, vegetation management, ember awareness, a household evacuation plan and a prepared Go Bag. OCFA also offers an online Home Assessment that identifies potential vulnerabilities and recommends improvements.
Who provides fire protection in Villa Park?
The Orange County Fire Authority provides fire protection and emergency services for Villa Park.