The Salisbury Fire Department will host a “Weathering the Storm – Emergency & Safety Preparedness Fair,” designed to provide residents with information on how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies, Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salisbury Civic Center.
Fair attendees will learn how to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season and other severe weather events, meet local first responders, tour various emergency vehicles, and enjoy lunch by food vendors for purchase.
In September 2019, the Salisbury Fire Department Fire Marshal’s office received a $7,500 grant from Duke Energy Foundation “to create powerful communities” through the utility’s Storm Resiliency initiative. The grant provided for 100, three-day shelter-in-place (remain indoors until given an all clear) emergency packs to a prioritized population during significant weather events such as hurricanes and snow storms.
The shelter-in-place kits contain items for self-sustainability and safety while indoors over a three-day period, including calorie bars, drinking water, Mylar blanket, crank flashlight and radio, safety whistle, first aid kit, contact card, etc. The packs will be distributed at the fair.
“On behalf of the Salisbury Fire Department and Fire Marshal’s Offices, we are happy to host the emergency and safety preparedness fair,” said Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell “This is an opportunity for residents to learn about preparing for all weather events to ensure they are sustained and resilient for emergencies. We’re also excited to be able to distribute the 100 shelter-in-place packs to city residences who qualify based on specific predeterminations according to the Duke Energy Storm Resiliency Grant. Residents will leave with valuable knowledge on how be safer, while also better prepared for an emergency.”
Organizations throughout Rowan County and North Carolina will take part in the fair, including Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, Red Cross, North Carolina National Guard and other service groups.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Salisbury Fire Department’s Facebook page or the City of Salisbury’s website at salisburync.gov/Fire.