Prepare to shelter at home on Lummi Island

The isolation of Lummi Island is a major problem when the ferry is out of service or power is unavailable for several weeks.

Lummi Island Volunteer Fire Department is our local emergency responder. The Fire Department may not be immediately able to attend to an individual need. In a disaster, they will be the emergency responder only after they have secured their own families and homes. The Fire Department must then triage the threat to life and property throughout the Island.

The Disaster Preparedness Committee has identified the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) program as a good tool that can be customized for each neighborhood’s needs. The MYN program increases the level of preparedness in our community and assists the Island Fire Department in community triage, allowing them to respond and address individual needs sooner.

A MURS communication system (Multi-Use Radio Service) has been established for the Island. See the map at the Island Library for the contact person nearest you.

The Disaster Preparedness Committee has also assisted in identifying emergency shelters and resources, and will continue arranging appropriate community training.

Resources

Contact the following organizations for more information about emergency preparedness, including lists and plans. many of these sites provide additional resources for online training and classroom learning.

Whatcom Unified Emergency Management
whatcomready.org

Washington State Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Management Division
mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division

FEMA Are You Ready? Guide
ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide

American Red Cross
redcross.org/prepare

Lummi Island Fire Department
lummiislandfire.com

Basic Emergency Kit

emergency-preparedness.jpg
  • Water: One gallon per person per day for at least seven days, preferably longer.
  • Food: Seven-day to three-week supply of non-perishable food for your family and your pets/animals. (Remember a can opener.)
  • Clothing: Change of warm clothing and shoes, hard hat and gloves.
  • Shelter: Plastic sheeting/tarp and duct tape to shelter in place.
  • First aid kit
  • Radio: NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) radio with tone alert and extra batteries.
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Personal sanitation: Moist wipes, garbage bags, and plastic ties.
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Prescription medications
  • Extra glasses

Additional items to consider: extra water, cash, important documents, chlorine bleach with medicine dropper for treating water, fire extinguisher, matches, paper plates and cups, paper towels, games, tool kit, and an out of state phone number that family can call to leave messages.

What Can You Do?

  1. Get prepared
  2. Get involved
  3. Know your neighborhood: join the MYN program

You need to protect:

  • Yourself: Know what the potential hazards are and how to protect against them.
  • Your family: Learn skills to take care of family members.
  • Your property: Manage utilities and extinguish small fires.

How Can You Do That?

  • Be a skilled survivor.
  • Check on your neighbors.
  • Stay informed of impending threats.
  • Take CPR and disaster first aid training.
  • Take a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course.
  • Support efforts to make Lummi Island a safer, more prepared community.

Prepared by the Lummi Island Disaster Preparedness Committee. Sponsored by Friends of Island Library (FOIL).