Bluffdale residents encouraged to participate in emergency preparedness program

To help get city residents actively participating in emergency preparedness, Bluffdale City officials have hired an emergency program manager.
“Connie Jones has been doing a tremendous job since she started in February,” Mayor Derk Timothy said.
Jones has been meeting with a communications team twice a month to get the city ready for any kind of disaster. The team is made up of Bluffdale residents who have received training provided by the city. The team ran a drill at the end of April to see if the system was working.
“It went really well, and I’m excited to see them all working together,” Jones said.
To get the public more excited about being prepared, Jones has started a drawing for those who participate in projects to ready themselves.
“We really need to have a community of self-sufficient people,” she said.
This drawing will be held throughout the year. The first drawing was held at the end of May, the second at the end of June. There will be one in July and also Aug. 13. The one in August will take place at Town Days.
The winners of these prizes will be announced in the Bluffdale City newsletter each month.
Jones writes a column for the newsletter each month. In April, she asked the residents to choose and complete at least one emergency preparedness project. She also informed them that there would be prizes. To further the preparedness level of city residents, Jones offered another prize opportunity. She wrote in the May newsletter that the first person to submit a finished project would win a headlamp.
All other prizes will be based on the same idea -- furthering preparedness. The May winners were Kim Lords, Kelly Albiston and Shawna Garzarelli. The June winners were Stacy Reagh, Brenda Gowans and Tina Walters.
For each project completed, residents need only contact Jones with his or her name and give details of the project completed. Those names will be entered into the drawing each month. To send in an entry, Jones may be reached at 801-419-6278 or curlyconnie@gmail.com.
“I hope that everyone will take action and will enjoy the feeling of being better prepared,” Jones said.
Jones has also accumulated family emergency preparedness guides that can be picked up by residents at City Hall.

By Alisha Tondro for The South Valley Journal

Published in July 2011 in Riverton, Utah

 

http://www.southvalleyjournal.com/pages/full_story/7318/Bluffdale-residents-encouraged-to-participate-in-emergency-preparedness-program/