The December 5 earthquake in Northern California and resulting quake and tsunami warnings, combined with a recent change in COBI’s Nixle alert procedures, have raised some questions from local residents about alerts. Hopefully this explainer will provide some clarity.

The strain on medical resources has led to difficulty getting appointments for child vaccinations. The difficulty is even greater for uninsured children and children without a primary care doctor or clinic. To address this problem KHD is offering a free vaccination clinic for kids.

We at Bainbridge Prepares—a community-based, volunteer-staffed program—know it’s important for the Bainbridge Island community to understand how we are using novel drone technology. We’re committed to providing an update on our flight operations at least once a year.  

December is a good time to review everything you’ve done on this 12-month journey to prepare—and feel good about all that hard work. It’s also the time to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Examine any possible hazards: water heater, furniture and appliances, toxic chemicals, and exterior hazards.

The City of Bainbridge Island Emergency Managament Coordinator (EMC) Anne LeSage was just awarded a Regional Citation by the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Region 10.

This fall, the National Weather Service warned city emergency managers across the region, including Bainbridge City Emergency Coordinator Anne LeSage, that we should be expecting a colder, wetter winter. That experience may be starting today.

The City of Bainbridge Island’s emergency and news alert system, Everbridge Nixle, went through a change at the end of October. The City had been using Nixle to let people know about major events and scheduled road work as well as emergencies.

The task for November is to prepare for sheltering in place. Sheltering in place is not something we have much reason to do in western Washington. But when we do, it is of utmost importance to do it right. Almost always, the occasion will be a chemical, biological, or radiological event.

Bainbridge Prepares Founder Scott James and Kari Seybolt-Murphy, Team Lead for our Child Safety and Reunification Team, will be the guests of the next Peacock Family Services’ Partners for Early Learning Workshop Series. James, Seybolt-Murphy, and other BP team members will address the topic of how to prepare families and child caregivers and teachers for large-scale emergencies.

On October 17, join FEMA and millions of people worldwide in the annual ShakeOut earthquake drill. Designed to promote earthquake preparedness and safety, this international event takes place at 10:17 a.m. local time,

I recently spoke to a neighbor who said that she had been planning to do Prepare in a Year and had saved the information from our series of monthly articles but that she had so far not done any of the preparation activities. I told her it didn’t matter that it was October; she could still start now. Doing anything, I said, is better than doing nothing.

It’s October and that means it’s time to shake it. The Great ShakeOut happens October 17 at 10:17 a.m. Atr that time, everybody who’s smart about earthquake preparedness is going to drop to the floor, seek cover under a large piece of furniture, and hold on.

The task for October is to prepare for earthquakes by gathering supplies, readying your household, and practicing what to do when the shaking starts.

It’s time to get another supply of free COVID-19 test kits. Residential households are now eligible to receive free at-home tests from USPS.com.

What’s one of the most important supplies in an emergency? Food. Local farms are the core of our island’s food resilience system. Celebrate and support that resilience at the Winney Farm Fall Festival, September 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In just two days, at our annual Day of Preparedness, you can learn everything you need to in order to ready your household for emergencies. This year, DOP will be held at the Woodward Middle School covered play area. The event happens September 21, from 12 to 4 p.m. As always., it’s free.

Our annual Day of Preparedness (DOP) event happens Saturday, September 21, from 12 to 4 p.m. This year the event will be held in the Woodward Middle School covered play area. As always, the event is free.

The task for September is to stash your under-the-bed supplies. Under-the-bed supplies are those items you can reach for when you’ve been awakened by a crisis, such as an earthquake.

Grow tree fruit in your yard, whether large or small. Learn how in Darren Murphy’s incredible fruit garden. The head of Bainbridge Island Fruit Club, Darren grows many dozens of fruits, including berries, grapes, and multi-grafted tree-fruits, in his small suburban garden on Bainbridge Island.