The Ashcroft Moving Forward group held a public meeting on June 28, to update community members about their activities, and three dozen people were in attendance.
Committee members Sandy Agatiello, Deb Tuohey, and Nancy White discussed the emergency fan-out exercise that was held in May. Overall the fan-out—which saw volunteers contacting residents by phone—went well, although a few glitches were identified, such as the need for all leaders to have an alternate in case they are not available.
The need to keep the database of names and contact information updated was identified, as people move to and from the community. While it was originally thought that the database could be updated once a year, the committee has discussed updating it on a constant basis, to ensure information is correct.
With Sandy Williams having moved to Kamloops, the need for a new first contact person on the Mesa was mentioned. The group is also looking for more volunteers for the call-out group; anyone interested can email Sheila Corneille at srcorn@telus.net.
The group is considering a second fan-out exercise in the next few months.
The need for muster stations—ideally one in each of Ashcroft’s three neighbourhoods—was discussed, and a committee will be formed to look at possible sites.
The group will continue to gather information about residents who would require transportation in the event of an emergency, as well as the names of those willing to drive people, and what vehicles might be available for use, such as school buses.
Transportation of pets was mentioned, and the necessity of residents—particularly seniors—being prepared for an emergency was discussed. A survey of those in attendance showed that very few had prepared a grab and go bag containing necessities such as medication and emergency contact numbers. The group hopes to be able to provide information workshops for residents, to help them be ready for an emergency.
Information leaflets from various agencies were available, with tips about things such as making your house and property fire smart to reduce risk. The need for more people trained as Emergency Social Services volunteers was also discussed.
The group’s Facebook page (Ashcroft Moving Forward Group) is intended as a place to share information and updates. Feel free to join the group, and share the page with family and friends who live in Ashcroft.
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