Emergency Preparedness Week is May 4 – 10 this year, and the RDEK is encouraging residents to connect with neighbours to build community resilience together.
The theme this year is “In it Together.” When an emergency happens, the most immediate help will often come from those around you, including your neighbours. Connecting and building relationships with them can create a better support system in the event of an emergency and lead to a faster recovery following an event,” says RDEK Communications Manager Loree Duczek. “In addition to being personally prepared, it is important to connect with those around you who may need extra support, so you are aware of their needs in the event of an emergency.”
A key part of personal preparedness is getting signed up for the Regional Evacuation Notification System (ENS) and confirming your pinned location. “The notification system is only used for evacuation alerts or orders in critical events and has been implemented as an additional tool to help us get the word out as quickly as possible to affected areas when time is of the essence,” adds Duczek. The RDEK is urging residents to register by Thursday, May 8, as they are planning a region-wide test of the system on Friday, May 9 at 2:00 PM.
In addition to the test of the ENS, the RDEK will be sharing information on how residents can help ensure they are prepared in the event they experience an emergency event. “From making an emergency kit, to having – and practicing – a family escape plan, there are several simple, but important things each of us can do to be better prepared,” says Duczek. To access toolkits, how-to guides, and more, visit www.getprepared.ca.
The ENS is powered by Voyent Alert! and notifies residents and property owners in the event their pinned location is the subject of an evacuation alert or order. For instructions on how to sign up for the service and receive notifications by landline, mobile phone, or via a dedicated app, visit the Emergency Information page on www.rdek.bc.ca.
The RDEK is also encouraging residents who’ve previously signed up to check that their property is properly pinned, particularly if they used a postal code when registering. “If a property has not been pinned correctly, you may not receive a notification when your property is the subject of an alert or order. On the flip side, you may also receive a notification that your property is on alert when it actually is not. Because the system alerts everyone who has a pin within an alert or order area, it is critical that those pins be placed correctly,” stresses Duczek. “It is a simple thing to check and correct if needed, and if residents are unsure how to do it themselves, they can give the Communications team at the RDEK a call, and we will be happy to help.”
For those who’ve signed up for the Voyent Alert! app, Duczek reminds them to ensure their app is active and downloaded. “Many mobile phones will offload apps that haven’t been used recently. This often happens with the ENS app as people don’t use it regularly. This is a perfect time to go in and check that it is active on your phone,” adds Duczek.
Other Emergency Preparedness Week activities in the region include the Wildfire Community Preparedness Ember Stomp at the Jaffray Community Hall, April 25th from 11am to 7pm, and the Columbia Valley Emergency Preparedness Fair on May 10th in the back parking lot of Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena in Invermere from 11 AM – 3 PM. For more information and event details, visit the Emergency Information page on www.rdek.bc.ca.
