The next forum is coming soon!!!

• What if our area is hit by a major ice storm that knocks out our power for several weeks?
• What if a raging forest fire is moving rapidly toward my home?
• What if my car gets swept up in a flash flood?
• What if my road becomes blocked due to a landslide?

These are just a few “what ifs” most of us don’t spend much time thinking about; however, these are real possibilities that can affect our community. How many times have we heard our news stations tell us to get plenty of bread and milk for an impending snowstorm? The reality is that most of us only have enough food stored for a few days. What would happen if our food supply were shut off? And what if you couldn’t get water from the city, your well or spring? If you have a fire extinguisher at all, when was the last time you checked to see if it is holding a charge?

These and other questions will be discussed at the next Spring Mountain Community Center’s Emergency Preparedness Forum – date to be announced. Contact Jim Stillwell at 828 275 3214

Jim thinks about these things and others frequently because he’s experienced a tornado and several hurricanes during his lifetime. The major thing he has learned is you have to be prepared and responsible for yourself first in order to help your family and community. If you are caught unprepared it can lead to panic and worse. Conversely, no one can ride out an emergency by themselves without the help of a community. The forum will address many of these issues and more.

Fairview Firefighters will describe their role and procedures for handling emergencies and disasters, and will explain how we can work with EMS to make their jobs easier by making ourselves and our homes less vulnerable before and during an emergency.

Other experts will present valuable information on topics such as ham radio and emergency communications; emergency food preparing and storing; care for the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged, and self-rescue.

A Q & A session will follow the presentations. This forum is open to all who are interested in starting an emergency plan for their community. Jim envisions this meeting to be a first step in connecting communities in and around Fairview to be better prepared.