Lessons in Preparedness

It’s not a matter of if, but when? The question loomed in the air as Redlands community members attended the Emergency Preparedness fair held Saturday Oct. 17. The fair was held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and was hosted by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The fair brought an array of information, both from booths set up by church members and those from outside community members such as Redlands Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Redlands Police Department, San Bernardino Animal Control, American Red Cross, and Redlands Community Hospital. Noon Kiwanis provided hamburgers and hot dogs for participants at the fair. Attendees were also given raffle tickets upon arrival and were entered to win prizes such as $25 gift cards to Bakers. According to Bradley Williams, Second Counselor to the Redlands Stakes President and Fair Coordinator, the church has held a long belief in making sure individuals are prepared for emergency situations, as well as the church itself being prepared to help. However, this was the first public Emergency Preparedness Fair to be hosted by the church in Redlands. “The fair was organized, because we wanted to give back to the city. We thought this fair was a good way to help individuals be prepared,” Williams stated. Williams added that not all emergencies are contingent on being natural disasters. Some are based around the individual, such as car repairs or what to do if one loses their job. The fair reflected this ideology. Classes offered ranged from emergency courses, including Brain and Spinal injuries, Practical Food Storage and Planning, and The Power of 3 concept to other everyday emergencies. Individual departments in the Redlands community brought varied information for specific day to day emergencies. “We are here today just to give information about the everyday life,” stated Community Service Officer Cori Lane. The Redlands Police Department shared information regarding crime prevention, identify theft, booster seats and bike safety. The department also raffled off children bikes. Redlands Fire Department gave handouts regarding upcoming holiday season safety and prevention tips. Richard Hurtado discussed the dangerous fires that can occur from deep frying a turkey and brought awareness on how to properly cook it. “The mistake people make is that they don’t compensate for the size of the turkey. They put the oil in and it expands, when they add the turkey it overflows. If they put in a turkey that hasn’t fully thawed out into the hot oil, it will violently erupt,” Hurtado said. Members of the church had the opportunity to create their own emergency preparedness booths. Member Carmen Barrera showcased a pre-made emergency kit verses her own made kit. “You don’t need to spend very much money to be prepared,” Barrea argued. Her table showed both the price differences, as well as how to build a kit that has the essentials for your needs with medications, food and water proportions, clothes, etc. “Take a little time to shop around and get the products that are fit for your needs,” Barrera urged. In sum, the fair was an eye opener in preparedness for those who attended. Community members Raymond and Erlinda Navarro who attended the event wanting to be prepared for the upcoming El-Nino season walked away with valuable knowledge. “We will start to prepare our three-minute, three-day, and three-months bags. We’ll start with the three-minute kit first and gradually build,” Erlinda said. The fair successfully brought awareness to a variety of emergencies and the best ways for individuals to prepare for them. RN Krystal Hedjazi the Disaster Preparedness Coordinator at Redlands Community Hospital brought to attention the value of the fair. Hedjazi said, “Everyone always thinks it’s not going to happen to them or someone will come help me. It will happen to them and yes someone will help, but we need to be prepared too.”