Preparedness

4-H Tailwaggers Club member Daniel Speck, left, hands out an emergency preparedness information bag at the Animal Clinic of Funkstown's Pet Fair on Oct. 18 to fair participant Lindsey Harden and her miniature pinscher Tyson. Washington County received a $500 mini-grant for community service projects and educational activities that encourage Maryland citizens to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies, including people with disabilities and the elderly. Seventeen 4-H clubs distributed 655 bags filled with educational and marketing materials throughout Washington County.

o Hostage Drill - University System Two people portraying "gunmen" entered the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown building on West Washington Street as a part of a drill Thursday morning to test the university's emergency preparedness plan. The Board of Regents requires USMH to test its emergency plan every year, said C. David Warner III, USMH executive director. A scenario such as the one portrayed Thursday "is to help us be as prepared as we can be for a real emergency and to discover where we have our weaknesses," Warner said.

This year's Citizen Emergency Preparedness Day activities on Saturday, Sept. 11, will combine 9/11 tributes with demonstrations and displays on how people can protect themselves. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the planting of four trees at Hagerstown City Park - one each for career firefighters, law enforcement officers, volunteer fire and ambulance personnel and active military. Trees have been donated by local businesses and citizens. From the park, there will be a procession to Valley Mall with all fire, emergency medical, law enforcement and military agencies invited to contribute one marked unit.

SMITHSBURG - Calvin Andrukat has two younger sisters, and he said it was important for him to learn basic first aid and emergency preparedness. "I figured it would help me with them ... in case," the Smithsburg High School junior said. He was one of about 14 students from the school who participated in three days of Community Emergency Response Team training that concluded Sunday. The students met at Smithsburg Volunteer Fire Co., where they were joined by three Boys Scouts of America from Troop 136 in Halfway.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, PA. - It's as important for individuals and families to be prepared for man-made or natural disasters as it is for emergency, police, fire and other front-line units. That's the theme of the first Franklin County Emergency Preparedness Fair, which continues today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the intersection of Mentzer Gap and Old Forge roads. The fair is sponsored by the church. It is being coordinated by church member Cindy Reese.

A workshop titled “Floods, Tornadoes and Blackouts — An All-Hazards Approach to Personal, Family and Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness” will be held Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Morris Frock American Legion Post 42 on Northern Avenue in Hagerstown. Presenters will include Verna Brown, coordinator, Washington County Emergency Management; Mike Mowen, director of Emergency Services, Red Cross of Washington County; and Kyd Dieterich, Hagerstown Fire Department chief. The program is free and open to the public.

Williamsport Crime Watch members will participate in Citizens' Emergency Preparedness Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 17 at Robinwood Medical Center. Crime Watch members will share information about the community-based organization and recruit new members.

SHARPSBURG - What began as a 4-H service project has branched out into a multipronged effort to improve emergency preparedness in Sharpsburg for 18-year-old Seth Marvil, who presented his work to the Sharpsburg Town Council this month. Marvil's efforts over the past year have included creating digital maps for emergency responders, surveying officials about the town's emergency preparedness tools, handing out emergency survival kits to seniors and even completing Citizen Emergency Response Training so he is prepared to assist rescue crews in an emergency.

tarar@herald-mail.com Following the advice of President Bush, the Washington County Commissioners and the City of Hagerstown are coordinating a drive to boost the number of volunteers in the fire, rescue and health care fields and to teach residents how to prepare for emergencies. The first Citizens Emergency Preparedness Day will be held Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Maugansville Volunteer Fire Co. Washington County Director of Emergency Services Joe Kroboth said Sunday the event came about in response to Bush's call for more volunteers in wake of the Sept.

HAGERSTOWN Whether fire or flood, or the dark of night, that comes with a power outage, one student in a citizens' emergency response class said Sunday she feels better prepared. "Most of the times when you talk about getting involved in the community, you're talking about building a park here or providing some sort of service, but this is protecting the community if it hits the fan," Cindy Garland said during the third day of a Community Emergency Response Training class.