What would you do if a natural disaster struck and emergency responders couldn't get to you for a day or two or three?
That's the question officials with the Mayor's Commission on Disabilities are hoping every person can answer for themselves by the end of an Emergency Preparedness workshop scheduled next week.
"It's not just for people with disabilities," said Judie Strandberg, a member of the mayor's commission. "It's for all the people of Superior, so they are prepared in case of an emergency, like our benzene spill."
Strandberg said she remembers the panic she felt in 1992, when a train toppled from a bridge and a tanker car split open, filling the Twin Ports atmosphere with a cloud of benzene. She and her husband lived in Duluth at the time, but her sons resided in Superior.
"It was scary," Strandberg said. "It was scary. It really was, and we don't want people to be scared. We want them to be prepared."
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Organizers of the workshop are hoping to help people be prepared with an emergency plan in the event a disaster strikes.
"This is a personal plan," Strandberg said.
During the four-hour workshop at the Salvation Army, guest speakers like Tony Guerra of the Red Cross, John Nedendurst, a traffic coordinator, and Bob Osgard of North Country Independent Living will provide information on developing a personal emergency plan in the event of a natural disaster.
Topics that will be covered include evaluating your needs, readiness, response and recovery plans.
The goal is to ensure people have the information they need to prepare themselves in an emergency, such as a pandemic or natural or manmade disaster. Organizers are also handing out emergency kits as door prizes to help people be prepared for an emergency.
"You know, like you have your roadside kits that you put in your car in case of emergency," said Lynn Ross, chairwoman of the disabilities commission. She said the kits, created in a 13-gallon storage container, are designed to see people through the first 72 hours, when emergency responders may not be able to reach people, Ross said. Information will be provided so people can create their own 72-hour kit.
The workshop is free and lunch and snacks are provided, but seating is limited. To reserve your place or request special accommodations, call Ross at (218) 348-3659.
