Disaster Preparedness Fair Coming Up At Graton Fire Department

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Graton Fire Protection District, in collaboration with the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management and Jody James, L.Ac., will host a disaster preparedness fair Saturday, April 1 with interactive activities for adults, seniors and children at the Graton Fire Department, 3750 Gravenstein Highway North in Sebastopol.

The fair is from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will feature activities including household fire safety lessons, CPR skills, trauma relief techniques, and tips on preparing for a disaster. There will be a bounce house for children, preparedness games and crafts, giveaways for a go bag, displays of emergency vehicles and the Henry 1 sheriff's helicopter.

“Being prepared for a potential disaster is a life-saving step community members can take,” said Lynda Hopkins, who represents District 5 on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “Ensuring you have an emergency plan, are signed up for emergency alerts and are able to act quickly if a disaster occurs can help keep yourself, your loved ones and first responders safe.”

The disaster preparedness fair is free to attend and will have emergency kit items and demonstrations available at no cost. Additional first aid and emergency kit resources will be available for purchase.

“It is important for the public to understand that 911 will be overwhelmed with emergencies during a major disaster,” said Fire Chief Bill Bullard of the Graton Fire Protection District. “Everyone should be self-sufficient until help can reach them.”

The family-friendly event will feature booths from sponsoring organizations including the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Graton and Sonoma County Fire Districts, California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire, American Red Cross, HALTER Project animal rescue and more.

“This event is fun and informative with something for every resident of our county. We are here to provide life-saving information and materials — in English and Spanish — with skill demonstrations, practical tools and free emergency kit items,” said Jody James of Graton, event co-sponsor. “If you feel overwhelmed by a big preparation checklist, here’s an easy place to start.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring a friend or neighbor and carpool if possible, as on-site parking is limited.