Upcoming FREE Event Raises Safety Awareness

The third annual Prepare Fair hosted by the Iowa Safeguard Partnership will be held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Merle Hay Mall, for free, to raise awareness and teach families how to be safe in emergency situations. 

More than 30 exhibitors will be at the Prepare Fair offering the public a hands-on tour of their equipment and vehicles, including fire trucks, police cars and the UnityPoint Life Flight helicopter.

According to a press release, Jami Haberl, executive director of Safeguard Iowa Partnership said being prepared is a good attitude to have. 

"Just picking up an item or two each time you visit the store to help build an emergency supply kit can go a long way in building a culture of preparedness," Haberl said. "Disasters can strike at any time therefore it’s important to have a family emergency plan.”

Along with the exhibitors, different activities will be available including watching the K-9 rescue dogs, learning how to gather important information and how to be prepared for weather with different weather simulators. 

The first 250 people will receive a free ID kit from MidAmerican energy which includes an inkless fingerprint kit, wallet card and DNA collection swabs that can be used to provide identification information in the event that a child becomes missing.

"Along with our partners in the public and private sectors, we want to bring awareness to the ways people can protect themselves and their families from unexpected events," Haberl said. "It’s essential to be prepared to survive."