Emergency Preparedness Fair readies community

Over 200 Wylie, Texas, residents visited the third annual Emergency Preparedness Fair sponsored by the Richardson Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 4, 2017.

“As recent events in Houston, Florida, Puerto Rico, and California have shown us all, you never know when something you can’t control may happen. But we CAN control how prepared we may be,” said Greg McMurdie, Richardson Stake Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

15-20 specialists from Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Sachse, and Wylie presented information on shelter, communication during a disaster, power resources, water storage and purification, emergency information sites, food storage, 72-hour emergency kits, navigating insurance claims, and finances.

Fairgoers could talk to specialists and have questions answered. Free written materials on each focus area were available to guide individuals in their effort to improve their status for a future emergency.

City of Wylie Office of Emergency Management representative Debbie Buccino who addressed the city’s preparations for community disasters and said, “I was happy to attend an event that focuses on community preparedness.  We consider preparedness a partnership between city entities and our citizens. We establish plans ahead of time to be able to respond effectively and efficiently during an incident and we rely on citizens to obtain information and have their own plans and emergency kits ready. Everyone has different needs and circumstances to plan for.  Purchasing a weather radio and signing up for Nixle alerts at www.nixle.com are two preparedness tips we always recommend for citizens.”

The Sachse CERT (Civilian Emergency Response Team) was also a presenter at the fair. Carrie McMurdie, Director of the Sachse CERT, said, “One of our main focuses is emergency preparedness and education for the community. At public events, we offer FEMA literature to help people begin to think about different aspects of emergency preparedness and how to get started in their preparations.  There is literature on a wide range of subjects and for all ages—people with disabilities, children, pets, elderly, etc.”

McMurdie encourages citizens to take part in a preparedness course offered twice a year by CERT which is “FEMA certified and recognized nationally. The course focuses on teaching members of the community to be better prepared for a disaster. It includes units about disaster preparedness, disaster psychology, light search and rescue, fire safety, fire suppression, basic medical assistance, setting up medical treatment areas and more. After completing the course, the student is certified and eligible to become a second responder.”

BJ Lamarche, 1st Counselor in the Richardson Texas Stake Presidency and a Wylie resident, explained the purpose behind organizing the Emergency Preparedness Fairs:

“No one knows what emergency may befall their family. It may come as a natural disaster affecting an entire community. A family may find their main provider out of work due to loss of job or health issues leaving them without income for an extended period, and additional medical bills on top of it all. A death may leave a family reeling not only with the loss of the loved one, but with heavy additional challenges to navigate through as the family moves forward. We can, however, prepare to some extent for these things. Learning basic self-reliance principles will not only prepare us to take care of immediate and long term needs for ourselves and our families in the case of an emergency but will enable us to be of service to our neighbors and others also.”

“[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] in our area is committed to having this be an annual event,” said Greg McMurdie.

http://www.cityofsachse.com/120/CERT

https://www.ready.gov/community-emergency-response-team