Discussion to include what to do before, during and after an evacuation; registration required to attend
By Hillary Larson for Ashland.news
Where would you go if you were away from home during an evacuation alert? What if Interstate 5 were backed up? How would you communicate with loved ones if cell service went down? Who leads an evacuation—the fire department or the police?
These questions will be answered during a wildfire and evacuation preparedness discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at the Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St.
The “Better Prepared: What’s Your Plan?” discussion is hosted by Ashland.news, Ashland Together, Ashland Climate Collaborative, and Ashland’s emergency services department.
While planning for an evacuation can feel overwhelming, Kelly Burns, Ashland’s emergency management coordinator, said the goal for the discussion is for people to leave with more confidence around evacuating from their homes during a wildfire.
“The reality is, because of where we live, we all need to get more comfortable with evacuations,” Burns said. “That takes planning and practice. This event is designed to bring people together to help address the challenges we face and come up with solutions.”
A similar event was held in August and drew more than 50 people.
Organizers will discuss what to do before, during, and after an evacuation. Other topics will include preparing a “go bag” of items one needs to survive on their own in the wake of a disaster, knowing routes to evacuate during a fire and signing up to receive evacuation alerts.
More information can be found on the “Better Prepared” website (click here). For more information, email convene@ashland.news.
Seating is limited at the Historic Armory, and registration is required to attend. Click here to register.
Hillary Larson is on the board of directors of Ashland.news, in addition to being a member of Ashland Together. Email her at hillarylarson369@gmail.com.
