The Emergency Preparedness Special Edition: JOIN US!

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Illustration by    Lalu Aku    on    Unsplash            [/caption]

There’s a common maxim in emergency management that states, “the disaster is not the time to start trading business cards.” In large-scale disasters, success depends on coordination, cooperation, and communication, which is the result of close relationships and familiarity among the responding agencies and personnel. This means training together, understanding one another’s capabilities and needs, and establishing a rapport, knowing exactly who to call when the need is greatest.

This does not just apply to public safety agencies and first responders, however. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) teaches a concept called “Whole Community” disaster preparedness and response - disasters affect the whole community, therefore it is the responsibility of the whole community to respond, together. This means that everyone, from elected officials, to nonprofits, to citizens, all have a unique but equally important role in responding to major crises.

It is for this reason I am beyond thrilled to see the Jefferson County community come together for Preparedness Day. An evolution of the All County Picnic, Preparedness Day is both an opportunity for all of us to strengthen our resilience and disaster preparedness moving forward, while celebrating the strong community ties and disaster resilience that has already been built.

Preparedness Day is not only an opportunity for you to learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family, it is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how to connect with your community and increase our disaster resilience, together. There will be opportunities to meet public safety officials, as well as training with vital emergency preparedness knowledge. Learn more about how you can tie into the whole community response, whether that’s through an organized neighborhood with the NPREP, one of our volunteer programs here at the Department of Emergency Management, or through one of the other partner organizations attending the event. Of course, Preparedness Day will also be a celebration, with ample opportunities for fun, socialization, and FREE Strawberry Shortcake!

Coming together to build these community connections and increase our resiliency has never been more important. I look forward to seeing all of you at Preparedness Day and continuing this vital work.

Willie Bence

Director - Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management

81 Elkins Road, Port Hadlock WA, 98339

360-316-6008