Seattle residents, get ready to shake things up for safety. The city is gearing up to better equip its citizens to stand tall in the face of an earthquake through interactive emergency response drills. Community members can join forces to fine-tune their disaster-response skills at the Seattle Emergency Communications Hubs on June 1 and June 9. According to a post on Front Porch, the exercises aim to prepare neighbors to collectively respond in the event of a major shake-up until professionals can make the scene.
Participants will have a chance to quickly learn, and to practice, how to gather and disperse critical information, manage resource sharing, and deploy volunteers effectively in a disaster scenario. These drills will also demonstrate the importance of radio comms when the power grid goes lights out. Ann Forest, who orchestrates this hands-on training, emphasized the significance of the drills. "We are in a rebuilding stage after COVID-19 and it's really important to practice our skills," she told Front Porch.
The events will sprawl across the Emerald City, offering multiple opportunities for residents to play their part. Whether you fancy yourself an actor simulating disaster scenarios for the hubs to resolve or you're just curious about the operational inner workings of these emergency lifelines, these sessions have a spot for every Seattleite willing to step up.
These drills aren't just for the grown-ups; organizers are calling on people of all ages to stop by any time between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on either date to get a hands-on experience with neighborhood-based disaster response. "Everyone is welcome!" stated Forest in the Front Porch release, urging locals to find their niche in the community effort and to understand how crucial their individual skills can be when disaster strikes.
Those interested can find more information, including session locations, by following the map link provided on the original Front Porch announcement. So mark the calendar and take a step toward making your community a safer place when the ground decides to rumble again.
