Emergency Preparedness Day organizers plan to put walk to disaster talk, RCMP Cpl. Jen Allan said.
Port Alberni RCMP and the local emergency preparedness committee are partnering to coordinate the first annual Emergency Preparedness Day, which is being held at Harbour Quay on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Port Alberni Fire Department, BC Ambulance Service, Emergency Social Services, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, City of Port Alberni and others will also be on hand to explain their roles and give tips and advice about emergency preparedness.
The city for instance will be posting information about evacuation routes in the event of a tsunami, Allan said.
And the RCMP is bringing their mobile command centre vehicle from Victoria to show at the event.
“After the event (Hurricane Katrina) in New Orleans there was a lot of crime and rioting,” Allan said. “If something similar happened here this unit would be put into action to assist with an evacuation.”
People think about being prepared in the event of a disaster, but now it’s time to put thought to action, Allan said.
“Events like earthquakes and tsunamis have happened elsewhere in the world so it’s a hot topic of discussion,” Allan said.
Local boy scouts will be at the event demonstrating how to build a lean-to. The troop will also be taking orders for 72-hour emergency survival kits. The kits will be on display at the event and cost $75.
The event is actually a reincarnation of the Community Safety Day, a similar event held in the Valley until it petered out..
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