COUNCILMEMBER BROOKS WANTS OAKLAND PREPARED; HOSTS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TOWN HALL MEETING

“I want residents to think about the “what if's” in regards to an emergency situation. You need to have a disaster plan of action and know how to: immediately escape from your residence, shut-off household utilities, communicate with external family members, seek medical attention and have access to food and clean water,” says Councilperson Brooks.

Disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year. Each disaster has lasting effects, both to people and property. In case of a major disaster, safety officials recommend that you should be able to sustain you and your family, including your pets, for a minimum of 36 hours.

On Saturday, February 11, 2006, from 10:00 to noon Councilmember Brooks has invited emergency preparedness experts from Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (C.O.R.E.) to provide answers to those "what ifs" and to share preparedness tips at District 6’s Town Hall meeting. C.O.R.E., a program of the Oakland Fire Department Office of Emergency Services, will cover options and resources residents can use in case of a major disaster. Discussion topics to include: what residents should to do if an earthquake five times greater than the Loma Prieta earthquake strikes again and how to respond if a wild land fire threatens your neighborhood.

Since its inception in 1990, the C.O.R.E. program has provided free, community-based training to more than 10,000 residents. Early in its history, CORE became a model for community and city-wide collaboration, and was among the first community emergency response team curriculums developed.

The District 6 Town Hall Meeting will take place Saturday, February 11th, from 10am – 12noon, at Frick Middle School, located at 2845 64th Avenue.

For more information and to R.S.V.P your attendance to the Town Hall Meeting, contact the offices of Councilperson Desley Brooks at 510.238.7006 or email dbrooks@oaklandnet.com.

District 6 Town Hall meetings take place every second Saturday of the month at Frick Middle School located at 2845 - 64th Avenue from 10am – 12noon.


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