2016 Golden Isles Prep Rally

by Arlene Ingram, US Coast Guard Auxiliary

In our Coastal Georgia community, any heavy rain can cause local flooding, but storm surge – particularly from even an offshore hurricane – is a major concern, especially so on the barrier islands. Long before a weather event comes our way, families should be making a well thought out and comprehensive plan on how to react. From making an emergency plan, securing your home and belongings, evacuating the family to returning and repairing any possible damage, when coastal folks find it necessary to weather a coastal storm, preparation is absolutely critical!

That is why the inaugural fun-filled Golden Isles Prep Rally is coming to the Brunswick waterfront. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on May 21, every first responder agency in Glynn County, the U.S. Coast Guard, GA National Guard and many more local participants are coming together at Mary Ross Waterfront Park to answer your questions, alleviate your fears, and demonstrate for you and your family exactly what to do, where and when to evacuate, and what to pack for you and even for your family pets!

There have been many needed evacuation plan changes since the Floyd nightmare in 1999. This energizing public outreach is long overdue to illustrate the individual’s role for self-reliance and explain Emergency Management’s direction through a fun and exciting approach. Hurricane season begins on June 1st so the Prep Rally, geared for our community in Coastal Georgia, is right on time!

You may already know that you need to pack a bag with your medications, insurance information, first aid kit, flashlight, extra batteries, food and other essentials, but did you also know it’s prudent to prepare for 10 days worth of drinking water per person? It’s also a good idea to fill your bathtub with tap water before you leave to have clean-up water when you return. The Red Cross and Girl Scouts will have bug-out bags for kids to individualize on site and the Prep Rally is the perfect and uniquely fun venue where you can learn just what to put in them. From dry stashing all of your important documents to putting essential files, documents, and photos on a thumb drive you can carry with you, you’ll get useful tips on how to best keep your information safe and available. The Glynn County Health Dept will also have a starter kit for you at the Prep Rally.

Our flood planners are able to show on the big maps how your property may be impacted and how a storm surge can affect your house at different stages. We have a presentation or two that will open your eyes on wind and

flooding in Coastal Georgia. Ultimately, you will understand the reasons when officials say an evacuation is mandatory they really mean it!

Home Depot will demonstrate securing your home and property from storm damage. They will also have a workshop for the kids teaching them safety and selfassurance. A helpful tip from the pros in case of evacuation: take lots of pictures of your home and other assets that will stay behind, both before and after the storm.

Most of us would never dream of leaving our beloved pets behind. The local Chapter of Therapy Dogs International (TDI) is going to show you exactly what needs to go into the boogie bag for your furry family members. There will also be therapy dogs with adorable waggin’ tails on site for you to “paws” awhile for some love too! Sadly, after an evacuation or disaster, many pets become lost from their owners because they are not micro-chipped and/or the chips aren’t registered. Glynn County Animal Control wants to end that dilemma for you by microchipping your pet for free, (first come, first serve, as long as supply lasts), so don’t forget to bring your furry friends along.

It’s important that your family knows how to make contact with each other if you become separated. In a disaster situation, cell towers may be down and wired lines could be useless too. So it’s wise to make an emergency contact card including where to How do you make the most of the limited packing space in your family vehicle? Your Toyota dealer will be at the Prep Rally with an exhibition for that. And remember, your emergency plan should always include a full tank of fuel!

Local Fire, Police, GA National Guard and Georgia DNR emergency management teams will be on board to offer many useful tips and remedies for your family’s safety in any disaster. You’ll also be able to see how the local mobile emergency communications team will be “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready) in our community when cell towers and landlines are down. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will have our working mobile communications trailer on full display.

“Coastie,” the Coast Guard Safety Boat will be there to welcome and entertain the kids too.

May 21- May 27 is National Safe Boating Week. When securing the homefront, it’s best to take your trailered boat with you, but when you can’t, there are still ways to help keep it safe. There will be demonstrations on how to secure the boat where it sits, and how to use auger stakes and tie downs.

If you remember, during the horrendous Hurricane Katrina flooding, countless teams of Coast Guard choppers and rescue swimmers worked tirelessly to rescue thousands of stranded residents. With that in mind, our Prep Rally highlight will be a presentation by U.S. Coast Guard Station Brunswick with their state-of-the-art 45’ response boat, a Dolphin helicopter and rescue swimmer from US Coast Guard Air Station Savannah who will demonstrate rescues on the waterfront. If you’ve never seen live “Helo Ops,” it’s a thrill!

We’ve given you just a few tips and a sneak-peek into some of the activities, demonstrations, and

giveaways in store for everyone (and their dog!) at the inaugural Golden Isles Prep Rally on May 21 at Mary Ross Waterfront Park, but you’ll want to be there to catch all of the excitement. Don’t miss it! Free, informative, and fun for the whole family!

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