Emergency Preparedness
Beginning in 2015, under umbrella of the Elk CSD, a small group of concerned Elk residents came together to begin brainstorming and developing action plans to prepare for natural and other potential disaster/emergency events. This group has initiated disaster preparation training in multiple areas: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training & certification, managing volunteers in an emergency, Federal Emergency Management Agency ICS 100, 200, & 700 certification & training, community wildfire preparedness, and others. Elk VFD personnel will be the go-to resource for the entire community in a disaster event. However, they will need help from the community in pre-planning and making preparations which go beyond the normal scope of a Fire Agency.
In 2018, the disaster preparedness group adopted the name "Elk Emergency Preparedness Committee" and began using the EEPC acronym. Over several years the EEPC had been researching differing methods and grant funding opportunities to provide emergency back-up power for the Community Center as well as emergency communications capabilities. In 2019-2020, these grant funding efforts successfully obtained monies needed to purchase and install a new 27kW backup generator to supply emergency power to the Community Center and the Elk Fire's main station. Under the EEPC's skilled guidance, the generator was installed became operational in late 2020. The generator is secured and protected from most physical and environmental hazards. An ongoing service contract ensures maximum reliability for this emergency equipment. The generator is being dedicated to Lucien Long who was instrumental in creating the EEPC group and who's clear vision focused on bringing this emergency backup power to the Elk Fire station and Community Center.
EEPC has prepared and displayed community awareness banners and signage throughout the District. These are important reminders to our residents about steps that can be taken to protect their property and themselves in emergency situations - wildfires, severe storms, power outages, blocked roads, and the like. Similarly, EEPC has coordinated an annual fire extinguisher evaluation and recharge clinic for coastal residents.
Beyond these important EEPC efforts with research, education, training and project guidance, the documents included below are provided to help our community members prepare for disasters and emergencies (both big and small). Some provide tips for personal safety and survival, others provide planning steps and actions designed to prepare for emergency situations, still others detail steps to reduce the severity of potential disasters (wildfires). Hopefully these will prove informative and useful.