Emergency Preparation
Here you will find links to videos on preparation, maps of Fox Island showing the coverage of Block Coordinators on Fox Island, instructions on signing up for PC Alert, Preppers Corner, food and water storage ideas, shelter, water purification and more.Home > Emergency Preparation
An Overview
2.0 Fox Island Ready - Emergency Preparation
Our MOST VALUABLE work is done BEFORE the emergency happens! As you will read often in FEIP literature: “The foundation of The Plan is individual family preparedness.”
And, we have come to learn that neighborhood planning and preparedness (Block Coordination) is critical to reacting to, and extending survival under, severe conditions. This section will provide you access to all the information available ‘out there’ that you can consider for preparing to learn of, react to, and survive ‘The Big One’ - be it bridge out, wild fire, power out in freezing conditions, or other such catastrophes.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
There are NO water, food supplies or medical services on Fox Island. Without the bridge, we are on our... Read More
FAST START
FAST Way To Get Started
FI-Ready – Get Ready FAST!
Our main hazards on Fox Island are: Earthquake, Fires, and Bridge Out. Follow the blue Hot Links for instructions on how to prepare yourself and your family starting today.
- Start your building of a 30 day supply of food, and med’s. Food is paramount. If we are isolated (no usable bridge) then YOYO (you’re on your own). We all will have to depend on what we have stored.
- Refer to your Fox Island Family Emergency Manual (download).... Read More
Fox Island Family Emergency Manual
Once that Fox Island individuals/families become aware of the potential for catastrophic conditions like wildfires or major earthquakes that could interrupt basic functions on Fox Island, (electricity, water, ability to escape, or use of the bridge) and put them at risk, they should conclude that it’s time to take action on emergency preparation and response.
This emergency preparation and response manual has been created by FICRA’s Fox Island Emergency Preparedness (FIEP) for all Fox Island families - especially those families in neighborhoods that DO NOT have Block Coordinators.
Families should keep this binder readily available as a guide in preparing for, and responding to, major emergencies. Your very survival may depend on y... Read More
Find Your BC Map
2.3.0 Who's Your Block Coordinator Map
Don't know who your Block Coordinator is?
Click on the map to the left, and see a live, interactive map of Fox Island block coordinator locations.
Individual Responsibility
2.1.0 Individual Family Preparation Responsibilities
- Sign up for Pierce County Alert to receive advisory information on an emergency that could impact you. That will have you receiving notification (wherever you and your family members are) of an incident that may affect you.
- Refer to your Fox Island Family Emergency Manual for the first steps in preparing. No Manual? Click on this link (link to Manual contents coming soon...) to go to the Manual contents which you can read and/or download.
- In the Family Emergency Manual, go to Section 2, Page 1 for the basic steps for individual/family preparation. That Manual will, in the end, guide you back to this FI-Ready.org website for access to more details and resources.
- Provide ... Read More
2.1.1 Family Contact Sheet Download
Download:
2.1.1 Family Contact Sheet Download
Download the Family Contact Sheet, to record essential contact information about your family for use in an emergency.
Mobile Preparation
2.5.0 Mobile Preparation, or What to Carry in your Car
Here is a list of basic and suggested items you should carry in your car:
- Jumper cables
- Tow rope or chains
- Flares or reflective triangle
- Car cell phone charger
- Blanket or even a sleeping bag
- Change of clothes/warm clothes
- 3 days of food and water
- Duct or repair tape
Other items that might be useful:
- Ice scraper
- Flashlight
- Whistle
- Fix-a-Flat can or portable air compressor
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Poncho
- Multi-function tool (i.e. Leatherman)
- Flat and Phillips screwdrivers
- Adjustable wrenches
- Pliers
- Bungee cords
- Cable ties
- Portable power bank
Prepare In A Year
2.6.0 Prepare In A Year Newsletters
Welcome to Prepare In A Year.
Our goal is to help guide you to develop your desired level of preparedness in a series of small steps over the next twelve months. We will be suggesting action steps as well as recommending levels of preparedness.
Here are the topics we will be covering by month in 2025, as well as the most current newsletters available:
Month - Topic
January
Prepare In A Year 2025 - January
Download:
Prepare In A Year 2025 - JanuaryWednesday, January 1, 2025
Topic: Receiving Alerts and Creating a Family Communications Plan.
Welcome to Prepare In A Year. Our goal is to help guide you to develop YOUR desired level of preparedness in a series of small tasks over the next twelve months. We will be suggesting action steps as well as recommending levels of preparedness. Our plan is to follow the Disaster Ready Washington program as laid out here: https://mil.wa.gov/preparedness
January Action Steps:
1. Sign up for PC-Alert and activate as many Government Alerts as desired on your phones.
2. Determine both on- and off-island meet-up points for your family.
3. Fill out the attached form (download link), giving each family member and contact a... Read More
February
Prepare In A Year 2025 - February
Download:
Prepare In A Year 2025 - FebruarySaturday, February 1, 2025
Preparedness Newsletter: February 2025
Topics: Your Emergency Action Plan, The Rule of 3’s, and Staying Warm
February Action Steps
- Make sure you and your family are signed up for PC-Alerts and have Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled on your phones.
- Determine how any of the hazards below could affect you and your family, both on and off-island. How could you survive them?
- Store some warm, protective clothing in your vehicle or outside of the house. My Dad used to tell us – if you are in the car, dress so you can walk to safety!
Emergency Action Plan - Know Your Hazards
To create an action plan, you must know your hazards. The main hazards we face here on Fox Island are:
March
Prepare In A Year 2025 - March
Download:
Prepare In A Year 2025 - MarchSaturday, March 1, 2025
March Action Steps
- Determine how much water your household will need to survive 30 days.
- Make a plan - how you will either get or store the water.
- Purchase any needed supplies and if you are storing water for the first time, set a 6-month reminder to check your supply for drinkability.
Water – why is it so darned important?
We need water to survive beyond a few days. Besides drinking, water is needed for many food preparations, as well as medical needs such as cleanliness and wound disinfection. Supply lines may be ruptured in an earthquake, power loss will disable pumps, and it may be days before any emergency systems can become operational.
We strongly recommend that you store at least three days of water for your household, re... Read More
April
April 2024 - Grab and Go Kits
Download:
April 2024 - Grab and Go KitsSaturday, March 8, 2025
A Go-Kit functions as a portable system filled with basic items you will need to sustain your life for 48-72 hours. Each person in your living space should have a Go_kit of their own, including pets. You can keep the kit in your house or have one per car. The information in the Prepare In A Year manual goes into more detail, and additional information is found in the Preppers Corner.
The Prepper Corner
2.4.0 The Prepper Corner - How to Prepare 30 days of Shelter, Water and Food
Emergency Preparation – Safety, Shelter, Water and Food
If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come – the readiness is all. - Hamlet
Prepper’s Corner
- Newspaper Articles
- Question of the Day
- Recipes
Many people do not know how to amass water and food to last the recommended 30 days – or really any number of days. Here we break down the ways to get you from the start of the emergency to some level of survival comfort. Remember, this is going way beyond the bridge being down for a few days.
YOU DECIDE YOUR LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS
Some folks are content with a few extra cans of peanut butter in the back... Read More
2.4.1 Get To Safety
EP – Prepper - Getting to a Safe Place
- Figure out what disasters can occur and how they can affect you.
- Determine where your safe places are and communicate that to your family.
- Keep your phone, a flashlight, and warm clothes in a bag near your bed.
- Have a meeting place for the family, both on and off-island, in case you must leave the house in a hurry.
Earthquake (see diagram)
Tsunami
There is considerable debate about how much water could actually get down Puget Sound. However, many of us travel off-island and might be in an area more sensitive to Tsunamis. Stay alert to any signs of a tsunami such as: earthquake, or the ocean suddenly recedes. If you see these signs, quickly get to the highest ground possible.&n... Read More
2.4.2 EP-Prepper - Shelter and Warmth
Why is this important? Hypothermia can disable or kill you within hours. At the least it will affect your ability to think logically and make effective decisions at a time when your survival may depend on it. What if there is an earthquake and you have to run out of the house with only your pajamas on? And it’s raining!! Here are some suggestions.
Warmth
- Pajamas – it is best that each family member has a bag of warm and sturdy clothes under their bed. Next best idea is to keep a bag of old, warm clothes in your car or in a shed. Have some for every member of your family. Include lots of layers, and don’t forget hats, rain jackets, and gloves.
- Include some matches and a dry fuel source so you can start a fire.
- To start a fire you need a... Read More
2.4.3 - Prepper - Water Overview
Why is this important? You likely cannot last, or at best function well, more than a few days without water. There is no immediate community water on the Island, and it may be days before any emergency systems can become operational.
There are several ways to obtain water, each has its pros and cons.
- Use what’s available in your house
- Pros – easy, cheap, and a hot-water heater is well-contained
- Cons -
- Might be difficult to fill containers from the heater drain
- If your heater has not been recently drained, water could contain debris.
- If your heater is not secured, it could fall and break in an earthquake
- ... Read More
2.4.3.1 - Prepper - Water Storage
Water Storage Disclaimer and Safety:
- There are many ways to sanitize storage vessels and preserve water. The method described below should work with clean drums and potable well water which is within all EPA drinking water standards.
- Handling heavy drums and chemicals is dangerous but can be done safely.
The following safety precautions are recommended:
- get help handling drums if you do not feel comfortable moving or lifting them by yourself - water weighs about 8.34 lbs/gallon, thus a 10-gallon container will weigh 84+ pounds
- wear safety goggles (NOT glasses), gloves, and cover bare skin when handling bleach - immediately wash off any bleach making skin contact
- should any bleach splash onto your face or eyes, call 911 ... Read More
2.4.3.2 - Prepper - Water Filtration
Filtration is the first step!
The important second step is to sanitize your water. Filtering first makes sanitizing more efficient and reduces the need to use excess sanitizer.
- How soon do you need to drink?
If you have time, you can collect rainfall, make a crude still or collect standing water in a container and let it sit for a few hours. This will allow anything that floats to rise to the surface, and you can skim off any debris before sanitation. However, if you are responsible for many people and need more water fast, you will need to filter. Also remember that standing water is a last resort – flowing water is likely of better quality. - Filtration – using what you have to filter out as many impurities as possible.
2.4.3.3 - Prepper - Emergency Water Sanitation
Download:
2.4.3.3 - Prepper - Emergency Water Sanitation
Emergency Water Sanitation
Why sanitize water?
- Unsafe water causes water-borne illnesses such as Escherichia coli-induced diarrhea (E. coli is found in human and animal waste), giardiasis (giardia are carried by many wild and domestic mammals), and diarrhea from other organisms such as cryptosporidium, which is a parasite carried by mammals.
- Even if filtration is perfect, no physical filter can remove viruses.
- Finally, Water that has fuel, toxic chemicals, or radioactive materials in it will not be made safe by boiling or disinfection.
That said, you may still end up in a situation that forces you to choose between dehydration and treating your own water. After filtration, there are several options for sanitizing water, with varying degrees of effective... Read More
2.4.4 - Prepper - 30 Days of Food: Preparation and Storage
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2.4.4 - Prepper - 30 Days of Food: Preparation and Storage
Why is this important?
- There are NO FOOD STORES besides Zogs on the Island; there are NO EMERGENCY SUPPLIES either.
- Survival in adverse conditions takes protein and calories, and fats to keep you warm.
- Calories and protein take time and/or money to store
1. Just keep a big pantry
Advantages
-
- Easy to buy a little at a time, so does not feel like a financial burden - Will likely be food you already eat so that is comforting
- Easy to rotate out boxes, cans if you check expiration dates
... Read More