Juneau Preparedness Expo back at Centennial Hall

The City and Borough of Juneau’s biennial Preparedness Expo is back at Centennial Hall this weekend.

CBJ Emergency Programs Manager Tom Mattice says most of the more than 40 vendors from the first expo in 2011 have returned, plus a few new ones. He says this year’s event will feature more presentations on emergency preparedness topics.

“From hands on CPR, to learning about first aid, to building your emergency to-go kit, to live fire training, all kinds of good things for people to come out and learn about,” Mattice says.

While most people in Juneau would probably associate emergency preparedness with earthquakes, avalanches, and other natural disasters, Mattice says you are generally at a higher risk of experiencing a man-made disaster.

“I always tell people it can be that simple house fire that takes you out of your house,” says Mattice. “If you had to grab one bag and run out of your house as your house burned to the ground, what would you need? Do you have your prescriptions? Do you have a change of clothes? Do you have all your critical contacts and all your important papers in one spot? What kind of things do you need to be able to make through the next period of time until you can get back and up and on your feet?”

The Preparedness Expo runs from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It is free and open to the public.

September is National Preparedness Month.

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