Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.
While Hurricane Season 2020 is still several months away, the office of the Jefferson County Emergency Management (JCEM) believe in early preparation and education in facing the upcoming season of tropical storms and cyclones.
In coordination of several local and area nonprofits and businesses, JCEM will be hosting a hurricane preparation event on Saturday, Feb. 22.
This event will allow local residents to learn more about what is needed in order to be fully prepared for hurricanes and tropical weather.
In addition, the event will offer free disaster supplies buckets and starter kits to the first 100 families who attend!
These five-gallon buckets will be stocked with several items needed to survive a natural disaster, such as dust masks, blankets, flashlights, batteries, a local map, health and hygiene items, first aid kits and more.
“Build Your Bucket Day welcomes community members of all ages to come explore what it takes to be prepared,” writes JCEM Director Paula Carroll.
All of the tools, supplies, first aid items and survival goods will be donated to the JCEM for the purpose of building buckets for locals – so the JCEM is inviting local organizations and businesses to contribute to the cause through donations.
Currently, the JCEM is accepting donations of: blankets, duct tape, dust masks, first aid kits, flashlights, batteries, large plastic trash bags, local maps, small multipurpose tools, soap, hand sanitizers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, non-perishable food items, radios, tarps, toilet paper, towels, bottled water, waterproof bags, five-gallon buckets and other special family needs, such as diapers, feminine hygiene products and wipes.
All of the donated items will go back into the community as the JCEM helps local families build their survival buckets.
In addition, the JCEM is accepting educational and informational vendors to place booths at this day of preparation.
“We've reached out to a lot of vendors in the area,” says Carroll. “[The event] is growing, so it will be quite large.”
The event will be held at the Jefferson County Emergency Management office, located at 169 Industrial Park, just a few minutes south of Monticello. There will be educational programs and vendors from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
For more information about the event and donation needs, contact JCEM at (850) 342-0211.