Some interesting topics and information came out of this months NEST meeting attended by Jm Popowich. These meetings are attended by surrounding neighbourhood communities and the City of Vernon to collaborate on emergency management and preparedness initiatives.
Here is some great information and links coming out of this most recent NEST meeting:
When is the best time to prepare for an emergency?
When there isn’t one! While our community has been navigating the ups and downs of the pandemic over the past year, an emergency – whether flood, fire or other, stops for no one, including COVID-19.
This is the time of year for all Okanagan residents to check and update their family emergency plan. If you don’t have a plan yet, the PRCEMC webpage offers plenty of resources to help guide you through the process.
“Being prepared to look after your family for at least 72 hours in the event of an emergency is something we all need to do each year,” says Jim Popowich – PRCEMC Coordinator.
He adds, “Moving from winter to spring provides a great opportunity for residents to check through their ‘grab and go’ kit. Take stock of materials you need to replenish and ensure that you replace any outdated food, prescriptions, water or other items you may need should an emergency evacuation force you from your home.”
Don’t Have a Emergency Kit?
For those that may not have a plan or kit yet, you’ll find a number of useful links, preparedness information, checklists and videos at on the PRCEMC website at https://prcemc.ca/resources-and-links/
Having a plan and kit brings some peace of mind. There may not be a lot of advance notice during the early stages of an emergency response. If the threat is imminent, you may only have a few minutes to get your family and belongings together before being directed to leave your home.”
Get Connected
Every Predator Ridge resident is encouraged to visit Vernon.ca and subscribe to receive notices directly from the City of Vernon’s Operation Centre if its activated an emergency. Also, the Vernon Connect App is now available. Read more about this app for your smart phone on the City of Vernon Website.
Residents should also be also aware that in this COVID-19 pandemic environment, health and safety protocols will be in place for any Emergency Reception Centre in order to protect Emergency Support Services volunteers and evacuees visiting in person. Also a new online program provided in conjunction with Emergency Management BC was introduced in 2020. It provides an easy online self-registration option for anyone on Evacuation Alert or forced from their home due to an Evacuation Order. During an emergency, this will help ESS volunteers administer and coordinate resources for anyone eligible for assistance and help under the Emergency Support Services program.
On February 23rd and 25th, the PRCEMC team hosted a webinar on Community Safety at Predator Ridge. If you were unable to attend any of those webinar sessions, we have posted a recording of the Feb 25th session on our YouTube channel.
Give the video a view and stay up to date on community safety and other initiatives happening in and around the Predator Ridge Community.
Looking in the rear-view mirror, 2020 will be a year forever rooted in all our memories. It was a year that fundamentally challenged how we think about our health, our safety and our future.
We have endured an unbelievable year of challenges, but we have also witnessed a time of positive opportunities and change. The pandemic has shown us that working together, we can achieve great things. Our community, our country and the world have all come together to find ways to fight back against COVID-19.
We are especially proud of how our own community has come together to help support and protect one another. Here at Predator Ridge, we are fortunate to have an amazing group of volunteers that participate in the FireSmart and Block Watch programs and the Commonage Road Improvement Committee (CRIC) that continues to pursue major improvements to Commonage Road. This year, in the spirit of the holidays, we also saw both the community and Predator Ridge come together to participate in one of the best displays of Christmas lights ever.
We are also grateful to Predator Ridge, for their swift action in adapting new policies, procedures and thorough communications over this past year. They went above and beyond, creating new activities to help keep us safe, healthy and connected. From online music nights, virtual wine tastings, fitness classes and cooking classes, ploughed trails, a skating rink, golf simulators and the amazing holiday fireworks, we can’t say thank you enough!
PREDATOR RIDGE COMMUNITY SAFETY UPDATES:
Safety
With the winter season now upon us, many of us turn our thoughts to the beauty and fun of skating on natural ice on local ponds and lakes. Many factors can affect ice thickness including: type of water, location and the time of year. Why not take a moment to refresh your knowledge of ice safety by visiting this Red Cross website for some excellent information before you venture out on the ice.
This year with so many of us out walking on the roadways with family, friends and our pets it is important to be safe and visible. Please keep in mind that we are not always visible to oncoming traffic especially at dawn, dusk and at night. Wearing some form of reflective clothing or headlamps is one way to stay VISABLE. With the fluctuating temperatures, the road and pathways can be very icy and slippery. Wearing cleats is an excellent way to prevent an unexpected and possibly dangerous fall.
This year there have been several coyote sightings in and around our neighbourhoods. We remind our residents that we live in nature’s back yard. Contact with wildlife can occur and we need to be aware of how to respond. For more information on keeping wildlife wild and communities safe, visit the Wild Safe BC site of the BC Conservation Foundation.
Emergency Preparedness Throughout the Winter
During the next few months, it is important for us to think about being prepared for emergencies such as snow and or ice storms that could result in either road closures or power outages. We need to be prepared to be isolated for a period of 48 to 72 hours. Click the following link to preparedness at the Prepared BC website.
Block Watch
Our neighbourhoods have been made safer with the help of community Volunteer Block Watch Captains. We are one of the most organized Block Watch areas in the interior and have received many accolades for it. Visit our Community Safety website to discover more about what Block Watch is doing in our community: Block Watch.
Commonage Road Improvement Committee – CRIC
We will continue to monitor the winter road maintenance and the challenges we have experienced with ACCIONA Infrastructure and Maintenance (AIM). In late December we received a response to the Letter of Concern CRIC sent to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructures Deputy Minister. + View the letter from MoTI Deputy Minister.
FireSmart
Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of the FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program and here at Predator Ridge, we have no lack of involvement from our residents. Our community has been on the forefront of earning recognition as a FireSmart Neighbourhood and 2020 has been no exception. On October 17th, neighbours turned out in full force to clean-up a portion of the Birdie Lake Trail. In addition, throughout the entire year, many residents worked towards making our community that much more FireSmart by cleaning up their own private properties. To learn more about the FireSmart program here at Predator Ridge, visit the website at FireSmart.
In Closing
We continue to work with the City of Vernon and provincial authorities to provide information that is essential to our community well being. To view this information please visit Community Safety at Predator Ridge. We trust that in spite of the many challenges in 2020, we have much to be grateful for in our community. We wish our entire community the absolute best in 2021.
Sincerely, Your Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee (PRCEMC)
Jim Popowich Colleen Scott Jane Toppozini Gord Wilson Kathy Pedersen Luiz Araujo
With the winter season now upon us, many of us turn our thoughts to the beauty and fun of skating on natural ice on local ponds and lakes. Many factors can affect ice thickness including: type of water, location and the time of year. Why not take a moment to refresh your knowledge of Ice Safety by visiting this Red Cross Website for some excellent information before you venture out on the ice.
The Commonage Road Improvement Committee (CRIC) would like to share a short update with you regarding improvements to Commonage and Bailey Roads.
SUMMER ROAD MAINTENANCE 2020
We have previously requested the painting of a second white line on the road between Predator Ridge and the junction of Commonage and Bailey Roads. The contractor was scheduled to paint the additional white line but there was a miscommunication and the contractor repainted the same side that had been done last year. MoTI is looking into the possibility of having the contractor come back in the fall to paint the second line.
Repainting of centerline and sidelines on both sides of the road way from City of Vernon to the junction of Commonage and Bailey Roads was completed in July.
We had requested the trimming back of the roadside brush and large weeds along the sides of the road from Predator Ridge to the City of Vernon limits. This was completed in August.
Delineators were installed on one of the corners last fall, we have requested a few additional corners between Predator and the junction be consider this year.
We have also requested rumble strips be investigated as an option to deter drivers from crossing over the center lines on specific corners between Predator Ridge and Compost Plant.
BC HYDRO COMMONAGE ROAD POLE REPLACEMENT PROJECT
In July we contacted BC Hydro regarding the Commonage Road Pole Replacement Project and the numerous power outages experienced over the past few months. CRIC requested BC Hydro try and provide a project update with project time lines.
A Project Update note was mailed out by BC Hydro, if you did not receive a copy please see the attached notice.
OTHER ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
In January and February 2020 we meet with various City of Vernon Councilors to discuss Commonage and Bailey Road improvements and the 1100+ signature of support we collected from Predator Ridge Homeowner’s
In February we met with our Area B representative Bob Fleming from RDNO to discuss support and advice on applying to MoTI for funds under their Active Transportation Program.
We would also like to remind you, that at any time if you think the road is not being properly maintained please call Acciona Infrastructure Maintenance (ACCIONA) at: 1-866-222-4204
Thank you, The Commonage Road Improvement Committee (CRIC)
Jane Toppozini, Gord Ball, Morgan Grant, Sandy Thompson
PreparedBC offers downloadable guides and fill-in-the-blank plans to help you prepare for emergencies. Check out these excellent guides tailored specifically for you in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of the FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program.
At Predator Ridge, we live in a region susceptible to wildfires. You can learn how to decrease the risk of losing your homes, and how to best protect yourselves in the event of a wildfire.
FireSmart homes and neighbourhoods allow firefighters to concentrate on fighting the wildfire, which ultimately saves more homes and lives.
Neighbourhoods in which residents take steps to reduce their vulnerability have a greater chance of surviving a wildfire without the intervention of the fire department.
Our community has been on the forefront of of earning recognition as a FireSmart Neighbourhood and 2020 has been no exception. On October 17th, neighbours turned out in full force to clean-up a portion of the Birdie Lake Trail.
The FireSmart Community Recognition Program is transitioning to the FireSmart “Neighbourhood” Recognition Program. They have a great FireSmart e-Learning course on the website called FireSmart 101. It’s a terrific and informative course that doesn’t take too long (approx.-30 min). Click on the graphic below to take this online course. Very Worthwhile!
Since its inception in 2014, the PRCEMC has used this HRVA process, and continues to review and update its content on an annual basis. As you may expect, events such as Wildfire, Medical Emergencies, Break/Enter/Theft and Vandalism, Animal Encounters, as well as Missing Persons and other hazards, continue to be identified and addressed within our HRVA. Our latest review in the 3rd quarter of 2020 identified the following top 5 priorities for action:
