September 26 is the Emergency Preparedness Fair at Fairmont Park, comer of Fairmont Avenue and Bush Street, from 10 to noon. Even if you’ve been to one of these before, it’s worth stopping by. There will be activities for kids and an icy treat.
They’ll have demonstration tables showing useful gear to keep on hand. You’ll see examples of a Go Bag and Stay Box – what to pack if you have to leave fast versus what to have ready if you need to shelter in place. There’s also solid info on water and food storage, including how much you need and how long it lasts. You can join in and practice the classic “drop, cover, hold” earthquake drill too.
Earthquake Drills & Raffle
Stay for the raffle. One practical prize is a portable toilet. After a big earthquake, toilets stop working. Having a simple backup is something most people never think about until they need it.
If you can’t make it to the fair, you can still run your own emergency drill at home. Check out www. shakeout.org/centralus/dropcoverholdon
The fair is a good reminder that preparedness doesn’t have to be complicated. A few basic systems and a little practice go further than most people expect.•
