The Community Advocate: Disaster Preparedness Event

The Town of Apple Valley (CAL) sponsored a Emergency Preparedness Fair, providing info and backpacks with helpful items. Citizens of all ages are considered valuable members of the team.

The Town provided the red backpacks.

Our town, Apple Valley, California, is in the High Desert of SoCal, a rural community of between sixty and seventy thousand people. This event for the community highlighted resources and skills in case of an emergency. Around our neck of the woods that would probably mean an earthquake or fire.

The event was organized by the Town of Apple Valley, held at a local church. In the church gym, experts demonstrated many important actions for preparing for a disaster.

Can you filter water?

There was info on water filtration and storage, and emergency

Be sure to pack a manual can opener.

food storage.

Kids--save water for the future!

There is emergency medical training available in the Town, such as CERT, which is also involved in school programs. Citizens of all ages can be empowered to view themselves as assets to the community as they are enabled to assist during a crisis. Less panic, more help.

You can see our desert terrain.

There were booths informing Town residents for water conservation, managing utilities during emergencies (they gave out free flashlights and tools to turn off the gas) and organizing your home if the power is off .

Ready to saddle up!

The Sheriff's Posse greeted the newcomers

The demographics in Apple Valley include a marvelous diversity in age, ethnicity, and economic status. This is the Sheriff's Posse that could be involved in rescue as well as safety activities.

Firefighters giving out emergency supplies.

The Fire Department in an area such as the High Desert of Southern California also works wild fires as well as residential fires. In the 2003 wildfires in Southern California, the High Desert firefighters bullldozed a perimeter of defensible space that stopped the fire from proceeding from the Cajon Pass to the nearby towns. You may have driven by these three towns on your way to Vegas (Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley.) Firefighters are always considered heroes here.

Setting up the generator.

Recently used at a local brushfire.

Apple Valley has created a system for mobile emergency communication in
cooperation with the Apple Valley Unified School District.

The Apple Valley Police provided vital service for future cops (possibly). Hot dogs.