Showing posts with label emergency preparedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emergency preparedness. Show all posts

Thursday, November 19, 2015

In times of severe wind storm and earthquake disaster how can "Community Emergency Response Team" training help?

UPDATED:  The wind storm that "inconvenienced" Redmond on Tuesday was a sorry experience, with roads closed, trees down, and 110,000 residential units without power. It was a miserable two days for us.

Spokane was especially hit hard with two dead and hundreds of trees down.  Governor Inslee declared a state of emergency in Washington State when at one time 500,000 residential units were without power.  The complete story can be found HERE.

With the storm fresh on our minds, we can now begin to think about how we could be better prepared for the next one.  Remember the wind storm of 2006 when power was down for seven days?  Terrible. What if an earthquake hit our city or region?  We are overdue for one.  Do we keep more non perishable food and water on hand?  Stock up on batteries and flashlights?  Buy a generator?  Battery powered radio?  Tune into Redmond's AM 1650 for community storm news?  Keep an extra supply of your medicines?  Plan an exit strategy from your house in case of fire?  And on......

One thing you can do is become a member of Redmond's CERT program  -- "Community Emergency Response Team".  I just graduated from the 29th class and felt really prepared for this storm and prepared for the disasters to come.  The next class is February 1, 2016 and you can go HERE to register and get more information.  Janeen Olson of the Redmond Police Department has been running the program for over six years and makes the learning fun with guest speakers (City fire specialists, police specialists, and the city Chaplin), hilarious but educational videos, snacks, prizes and more!  The course is eight weeks long -- every Monday for three hours.  You graduate as a community volunteer prepared to take care of yourself and your neighbors in time of disaster.

In the course, we learned:  Disaster Psychology, Medical, Search and Rescue, Fire Safety, Triage, Terrorism, Personal and home preparedness, and how to work in a Team with fellow CERT's during community disasters.  My favorite class was a four hour drill simulation where we played out a disaster response.  Redmond High School students take CERT classes now too.  I developed a deep appreciation and respect for our Fire and Police.

So far over four hundred Redmond residents have graduated from CERT.  There is no CPR training in this course.  If you want CPR and first aid training you can sign up for the City of Redmond's "Redmond Ready"  It's a one day class and very affordable.  Next class is January 23.

Be safe!

Bob Yoder

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

UPDATED: Councilmember Pat Vache' responds to neighborhood tree hazard


Sidewalk roped off from a tree hanging on wires
UPDATED:  In late January, mothers walked their children down this hill to school, many unaware of the blue spruce leaning over their heads, balanced on utility lines.

Yes, the third wave of our January snow, ice and rain storm was hard on neighborhoods.  It took four days to close this sidewalk on Education Hill and seven days to remove the tree hazard.  Fortunately, neighbors pressed; and no one was hurt.

City and utility companies were slow to respond, despite the imminent danger.   Various distraught neighbors called 911, the mayor's office and utility companies.  Public Works identified the wires as "harmless phone lines" owned by Comcast saying, "it is their responsibility to remove the tree."   Two Pubic Works employees and a police officer looked it over and "walked on," according to an Education Hill resident, John.
 
 Frustrated and upset, John emailed city councilman and Ombudsman Pat Vache' on January 31,   John wrote Pat, "I cannot believe how hard it's been to get Redmond's attention on this."  (John had called 911 twice, PSE and several neighbors on January 27.)  Another neighbor called Comcast and walked them to the site.  The tree was finally removed February 2 after city Ombudsman-of-the-month Pat Vache' stepped in and had the sidewalk barriers installed.  Mr. Vache' went out of his way to help us.  Read More >>

Monday, January 16, 2012

Tune into Redmond Community Radio AM 1650 for severe weather and traffic alerts

Tune into Redmond Community Radio AM 1650 for severe weather and traffic advisories.

Reception is best from vehicle radios.  24/7.
Look for AM 1650 road closure signs.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

UPDATED: Redmond Safety Alerts


Municipal Emergency Response
Command and Control Room
 UPDATED:  This blog may serve as a  volunteer "communications hub" (node) connecting  neighborhoods and local jurisdictions for purposes of emergency preparedness and response.  RNB is not sanctioned by the City but my services are available much like our local "ham radio operators."

Whenever possible, Redmond Neighborhood Blog (RNB) cooperates with local jurisdictions and neighborhoods to assist in emergency response and disaster preparedness during severe events. Prolonged power blackouts, explosions, severe weather conditions, widespread flooding, severe traffic congestion and re-routing are the more likely emergencies in Greater Redmond.  Earthquakes, pandemics, terrorist alerts, volcanic eruptions an other disasters are unlikely though the City and citizens must be prepared.  
 
During the Rose Hill PSE explosive fire, RNB posted updates to educate and calm the community on this sudden, smokey, grid-locked event.  Some commuters and pedestrians clicked on their Internet devices - found RNB and were advised by RNB to tune into Redmond Community Radio AM 1650  for traffic advisories and event news.  It runs 24/7. 

During the event I called Mayor Marchione requesting AM 1650  "community news" be replaced with real time  "emergency response news".   Since then the mayor personally assured me staff improved the availability, emergency content and response time for AM 1650 announcements.  We are fortunate to have a well "tuned-in" and responsive mayor.  Traditional and online news media attracted to disaster events with helicopters and other means can give heightened awareness of AM 1650 and can broadcast it's availability.  Media advertising can be filtered out and their widespread coverage can be reliably relayed by Redmond's "Command and Control Center" to citizens in their cars!   Here's an rare video showing Redmond's Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) and "EARS."  For additional details Read RNB's 2008 advisory post, "What's the Best Kept Secret in Redmond?." 

AM 1650 reception is best in vehicles and is especially valuable during power black-outs and when battery-powered radios are unavailable.  Citizens are invited to send photos, emails, social media news, and general observations that I may post for readers, with the disclaimer particular news may not have as yet been verified.  RNB will route your news and photos to Redmond's ECC for their review and response.  NOAA, Evergreen Hospital Emergency Response, King County Public Health, State Department of Ecology, Kirkland and other jurisdictions may exchange news, information and response with Redmond's ECC and Redmond Neighborhood Blog.  Read More >>