The Sechelt Community Association Emergency Fair at the Seniors Centre last weekend was busy with people picking up emergency grab and go kits, exploring options to supplement kits and prepare their households for prolonged stays without access to help. Displays offered instruction in fireproofing our homes and yards and how to become a mobile radio operator.
For many, this was the beginning of personal awareness and preparedness that can continue to expand to the next important level, your neighbourhood. The core of success in managing disasters (wildfire, floods, earthquakes) lies in community and Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Programs.
These are springing up around the Coast with the intention of making us all more resilient in the event of (the next) emergency. It is more likely that we will be on our own for longer periods of time and your neighbourhood will be the place to find shared support and resources.
Getting to know your neighbours, gathering information, developing lines of communication, identifying skills and unique needs in your neighbourhood and learning how these can best be met by neighbours themselves mean we will all be able to respond more quickly and effectively resulting in reduced demands on our already stretched resources such as fire, ambulance and search and rescue.
Awareness and education initiatives are forming to help spread the word as neighbourhoods begin to organize themselves.
Excellent information is available from the provincial government, the SCRD, local fire halls and local news sources. Several experienced professionals and representatives from existing neighbourhood pods can also share information on how to start a program in your own neighbourhood.
Ask around. Keep an eye out. Your neighbour may be coming to your door to share information about how you can make a start on the road to preparedness.
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