1.0 FICRA BUILDING TRUST'S FOX ISLAND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN 'THE PLAN' - 2024 UPDATE

BACKGROUND: The Fox Island Emergency Preparedness (EP) Team and the Emergency Response Plan (THE PLAN) was conceived in 2013 over concern that the Fox Island Bridge might be rendered impassable by an event like a major earthquake. Studies subsequently extended concerns to our being prepared to deal with wildfires, heavy freezes and catastrophic windstorms. The Team has worked with government and non-government sources to develop this Plan which covers both preparation to deal with emergency situations, and emergency response.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE PLAN IS INDIVIDUAL FAMILY PREPAREDNESS.
All residents should know that government emergency services response to an emergency could be delayed, or not be forthcoming at all, depending on the scale of an event. Also, your Emergency Response Team has no food, nor water, and will need some time, maybe days for some functions, to assemble its volunteers to implement response. That means that you would be on your own for an undetermined period of time – hence the recommendation for each family having 30 days of food and meds, and as much water as can be stored. We have also learned about the importance of neighborhood preparedness and response to a catastrophic event. Having neighborhoods working as units is recognized as an important step to help us survive an extended isolation.

So you can see that surviving a major catastrophe is very much dependent on you.

Here you will find links to videos on preparation, to maps of Fox Island showing the coverage of Block Coordinators on the island (Take a look to see if your neighborhood has its Block Coordinator, and who your Coordinator is). Also there are instructions on signing up for PC Alert - an important connection you can set up for government alerting you of, and advising you of, the status of things during, an emergency.

COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN -SELF SUFFICIENCY
We have made, and published on Facebook and our website, access to information as well as videos that help individual families realize the importance of, and acquire instructions on, emergency preparedness. These short videos help families learn what resources are available for preparation, and response, to a major event.

• NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS – We have developed response guidebooks for the neighborhood Block Coordinators as quick guides for reacting to an emergency and preparing their neighborhood residents to work as a team. We are also making those guidebooks available for every family on Fox Island in case they are not with a Block Coordinator neighborhood. 
• COMMUNICATION TEAM – Communication is one of the most critical elements of managing emergency response. We now have the Fox Island Amateur Radio Club with over 30 members. We are working to get more certified radio operators volunteering to participate in emergency response. We are continuing to improve the communication system hardware so the Communications Center at the Nichols Community Center (NCC) will be optimized for island coverage and contact with the authorities. We have established alternative means of communication as well to help ensure the rapid establishment and operation of the emergency response organization. 
• MEDICAL TEAM – Fox Island has several medical professionals (physicians, PA’s, NPA’s, etc.) that have volunteered to participate in an emergency. We also have storage of medical triage equipment on-island in multiple locations, to ensure supplies are available for use at the Nichols Community Center EOC (Emergency Operations Command) medical triage room. 
• SHELTER TEAM – We have an off-site storage facility with cots and bedding available to temporary shelters (the Heart Church and United Church of Christ). No food will be available there. 
• NEIGHORHOOD WATCH TEAM – Some of our Neighborhood Watch volunteers will be scanning neighborhoods in an emergency and relaying neighborhood information/needs to the Emergency Operations Command (EOC) center. They will also help provide emergency transport.
• MARINE TEAM - The Fox Island Yacht Club is working with us to coordinate the use of volunteer boaters for emergency medical evacuations and other marine transport. 
• INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM – We are fortunate to have resident licensed Civil Engineers to evaluate structures before entering, post-event. We have volunteers for clearing roads and posting 'danger zones', and we are partnered with Fox Island Mutual Water Association on water delivery.

Ten plus years into THE PLAN we are still learning. We are an operation respected by the authorities and are asked to make presentations to other communities on our program. We have secured, and spent, grants from the County and State for support materials. We will continue working to acquire resources as needed to improve our capability.

Volunteer?
And, of course, our response teams (Neighborhood, Communication, Medical, Shelter, Patrol, Marine, and Infrastructure) are always looking for more volunteers. Volunteering is easy. Contact Us using the link below to sign up as a volunteer.

Last modified on: 4/22/2024