Are you prepared when disaster strikes in Whatcom County?

Richard Martin’s family experienced hurricanes Katrina and Rita firsthand in Baton Rouge in 2005, including massive power and communication outages, law enforcement desertion, corruption, residential and commercial overcrowding, empty store shelves, overwhelmed infrastructure and roadways, long hour waits for gasoline, mandatory curfews, increased police presence and spikes in crime.

“I was very upset at how little I knew, and how little everyone else knew about what to do in an emergency situation,” Martin says.

When Martin moved to Blaine in 2008, he researched area hazards and looked for a group to learn more about emergency preparedness that was for the average person that could not commit to a lengthy or costly course. A disabled veteran and stay-at-home dad, Martin started a nonprofit group in 2011, NorthWest Emergency Preparedness, and used his skills as a former Air Force Intelligence Operations Specialist, former private investigator and instructor.

He is organizing a free emergency preparedness expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Blaine Pavilion, 763 G St. The entrance is on H Street, adjoining the Blaine Senior/Community Center. Food and drinks will be available for sale by various on-site vendors, and also by donation in the senior center kitchen and dining area.

People need to realize how unbalanced the ratio between emergency responders and the public is, says Martin, and individuals and families need to know how to be their own “first responder.”

“We love our emergency responders, but they must prioritize their responses according to the extent of damage and risk to lives. In a major event, you may not see help for days or even weeks. This includes, power, communications, sewage and sanitation, fuel, medical attention, resupply of food and water, access to roads and bridges and more.”

He says the event is geared toward the entire family.

Attendees can learn about sources for credible information such as Federal Emergency Management Agency; National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Geologic Survey. Attendees can also learn how to make emergency kits (including first-aid and kits for pets); how to communicate in an emergency; how to safeguard important papers and documents; alternative cooking methods; how to determine power loads for generators; and a variety of self-sustainability skills such as rain-barrel construction for collecting rainwater; and canning and food storage techniques.

Presenters include Blaine Police Department, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, Whatcom County Search and Rescue, and Whatcom County Community Emergency Response Team.

Other experts and entities that are scheduled to be in the event include:

▪ Whatcom Volunteer Mobilization Center;

▪ The Sudden Valley Amateur Radio Club;

▪ Map Your Neighborhood, a community assistance program;

▪ Pacific Northwest bush-craft instructor Todd Saulsbury;

▪ former Blaine Community Garden director Charles Kelm;

▪ master canner Dee Powell and Ruth Mayne.

Details: myNWEP.com/events, 360-595-7315.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Are you prepared when disaster strikes in Whatcom County?."