Senior Coalition Plans Forum on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Seniors

FAIRFIELD, Calif. - May 8, 2018 - PRLog -- If you had to evacuate your home in one minute what would you take?  Are plans in place to rescue an elderly family member or neighbor; or their pet when an emergency occurs?  These and many other questions associated with preparing to stay alive when the unthinkable happens, such as last year's Tubbs and Atlas fires, will be answered at a forum on emergency and disaster preparedness for seniors.  The event is being organized by the County's Senior Coalition, an advisory board to the Solano County Board of Supervisors that is charged with making recommendations on, and creating advocacy around, issues important to the well-being of seniors.

The forum, entitled "What Now – Emergency Solutions for Seniors," will take place on Saturday, May 19^th from 8:30 am to 1 pm at the Solano Events Center, 601 Texas Street in Fairfield.  Admission is free and a continental breakfast and lunch is included. The public is invited, however RSPV's are required. Please call 707-471-8274 to sign-up before the May 17 deadline.

"Last year's Tubbs and Atlas fires stunned us all; affected us all and killed 43 people, most of them seniors, according to news reports," says Laverne Appleby-Stewart, the Coalition's vice chairperson and head of the planning committee for the forum. "Information given at this forum will help seniors, their families and caregivers survive a catastrophic emergency like the fires and other emergencies in their home."

The event will kick-off with a simulated "emergency scramble" exercise where participants will be given one minute to choose from 50 items what they would take with them if they were in an actual emergency and had to evacuate. Speakers and panelist for the event will include California State Senator Bill Dodd who is a survivor of the Napa-Sonoma fires and will recount how he and some of this neighbors escaped.  Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann will speak on evacuation and other challenges firefighters faced fighting the wildfires.   Supervisor John Vasquez will speak on the importance of the information being given at the forum. Both he and Senator Dobbs are co-sponsors of the event.

Sheriff Sergeant Harris Jackson from the county's Office of Emergency Services will also speak; as will a representative from the City of Fairfield's fire department. Panelists will include Dawn Boggs from the county's Emergency Preparedness and Response unit and Annie Schaefer from the American Red Cross. Brenda Burke from Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch will give a presentation on protecting pets and farm animals in an emergency.

Joyce Oren, owner of the fire protection company Code Three Fire Safety, will lead attendees through the correct way to use a fire extinguisher and Red Cross representatives will sign-up anyone requesting a free fire alarm installation.  Information vendors and exhibitors at the event will include the Red Cross, Code Three Fire Safety, Solano Mobility; the Salvation Army; Paradise Valley Estates; Apex Care (in home care services); and Solano County's Emergency Preparedness and Response unit.  All information booths will have emergency-themed interactive exercises for participants, along with gifts and brochures on their services.

Walmart's Dixon store will provide a continental breakfast for the event and lunch will be catered by Pure Grain Bakery of Vacaville.

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About the Solano County Senior Coalition

The Solano County Senior Coalition is a 27 member advisory board to the Solano County Board of Supervisors, made up entirely of volunteers.  Its mission is to advocate for and support efforts that improve and enrich the lives of seniors living and working in Solano County.  Members include representatives from each county district and city; nonprofit and for-profit agencies that provide services to seniors; and people with expertise in law, legislation and housing. For more information on the Coalition, visit www.seniorcoalitionsolanocounty.com