What would you do if a wildfire threatened your neighbourhood?
Residents of Prince George are invited to attend Be Ready, an emergency preparedness pop-up event at Pine Centre Mall on March 28 and 29.
The event, a collaboration between the City of Prince George, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, is designed to educate the public in preparation for the upcoming wildfire season, states a city press release.
Tanya Spooner, the city's manager of emergency programs, emphasized the importance of hands-on learning: “We’re going to have our Emergency Support Services (ESS) team on-site with a reception centre set up in the mall. People can walk through exactly what happens during an evacuation, ask questions, and experience the process firsthand.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn vital skills on how to protect their properties from wildfires, what to include in an emergency kit, and how local governments respond to emergencies and evacuations.
“Emergencies can be overwhelming, so giving the public a chance to experience the process beforehand makes a huge difference," said Zawad Abedin, director of engineering and operations at Lheidli T’enneh. "Strengthening our partnerships with the City and the Regional District is a priority, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
In addition to emergency preparedness tips, the event will feature a variety of activities, including expert presentations, an Ask the Expert booth and family-friendly games. Mascots Mr. PG and Ember from FireSmart will also make appearances. There will also be opportunities to sign up for the public alerting system, trivia, and giveaways.
“We’re excited to offer this opportunity for people to learn how to Be Ready," said Anita de Dreu, emergency services co-ordinator at the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. "When people feel empowered, it strengthens our community’s resilience.”
The pop-up event will be held next to Sephora at Pine Centre Mall. It will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 29. No pre-registration is required.
For more information, visit princegeorge.ca/BeReadyEvent.
