Community Preparedness workshop gave participants information to prepare for disasters

Robert Scott, Robin McKenzie, Captain Andrew Leith, Robert Grinnell, Kevin Lowery, and Patrick Ducey — instrumental contributors to the success of our workshop.

NEMCO Community Preparedness Workshop on December 7, 2024 was held at Fire Station 61 in Kenmore.

Story and photos by Gail Siani, NEMCo Outreach

Our Emergency Manager, Kevin Lowery, opened our Workshop, discussing NEMCo’s mission and how we educate the community by offering these workshops.

Captain Leith presenting a segment on preparedness. 

We were privileged to have Captain Andrew Leith, of the Shoreline Fire Department, present an overview of the fire department and how the 911 system operates, especially in very high volume times, which would occur after an earthquake. 

Advanced preparedness to handle unavoidable delays in response time means people need to understand their utilities and have a minimum of 72 hours or longer to ensure they have prepared in advance for their medical needs, drinking water and food storage. 

As an adjunct to his presentation, we had a floor model of some common utilities and provided some instructions on how to properly shut off gas and water units. 

In the lobby we had a table demonstrating examples of some go-bags to guide you in preparing your own. 

Make a plan, work together with your family and neighbors, and you’ll make it through most emergencies!

Robert Grinnell, our senior radio expert, presented information on the different types of radios that may help you to communicate with your family, friends, and neighbors, ranging from FRS, GMRS, and amateur radio. 

When cell towers and the internet are down, having an alternative method of communication will be invaluable— not just to let your loved ones know you are okay but to obtain crucial information not otherwise available.

Our youngest participant trained in proper fire safety!
Ann Udaloy and Pat Ducey monitoring to ensure fire safety.

Pat Ducey, a NEMCo member and Shoreline resident, also taught participants how to properly use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire. 

He gave a live fire demo in the parking lot to ensure everyone had these skill sets and knew the appropriate types of fire extinguishers for different categories of fire, e.g., chemical, wood, common kitchen fires. Practicing these skills in a controlled, safe environment was informative and fun!

We had other demo tables showcasing various radios and first aid kits, including Stop the Bleed trauma kits. We also provided a number of written resource materials and recommendations on others to aid participants in their preparedness journey. 

See our NEMCo CERT resources page and the Preparedness resource page for additional information.

Our goal is to provide our community with information to start collecting your resources to feel confident and well-prepared in any emergency. 

We will offer variations of this workshop in 2025!