Grant Co. emergency management coordinator talks safety, preparedness
Kyle Foreman, Emergency Management Specialist, gives a presentation in Soap Lake on Oct. 26 to inform residents on how to be prepared for emergency situations they may encounter.
REBECCA PETTINGILL/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Wildfires like this one from 2018 near Rye Grass Coulee are just one of the natural disasters those in Grant County and the surrounding area should be prepared for. Having an emergency kit handy will help mitigate stress and danger if an evacuation becomes necessary.
As the public information officer and an emergency management coordinator for Grant County, Kyle Foreman (right) works with a variety of emergency agencies and helps with community outreach to ensure Grant County residents are prepared for emergencies.
Kyle Foreman (silver vest) works with firefighting personnel during the recent fire at the Wilbur-Ellis fertilizer plant near Moses Lake last Sunday. Foreman helps ensure county residents near large-scale incidents are notified of any relevant safety concerns. Foreman said the community can help him and the first responders he works with by planning for emergencies.
SOAP LAKE - Emergency Management Specialist Kyle Foreman with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office gave a presentation about emergency preparedness in Soap Lake Wednesday evening to prompt residents to learn about emergencies they might encounter and how to be prepared for them.
“Have an emergency plan,” Foreman said. “Know what they’re going to do if an emergency strikes.”
The presentation had a small but curious crowd, who were engaged in knowing how to better prepare themselves and their families in case of an emergency.
Foreman spoke about many important steps, tips and suggestions for people of different backgrounds, abilities and ages.
“We encourage all citizens to be prepared and self-sufficient,” said Foreman.
He said emergency responders may be in short supply when an emergency occurs and when residents are prepared, they stand a better chance at recovering from the emergency. Being prepared also helps ease the burden on first responders.
Despite the wide variety of the types of emergencies that are possible for Grant County, Foreman said there are a few important steps that individuals and families can take to be prepared for wildfires, floods or other disaster situations.
The first and most important, Foreman said, is to have an emergency plan. Foreman said this plan should include how family members will communicate with others that they are safe, have designated meeting spots if separated, how and where they may take pets if they need to evacuate and what their emergency kit or supplies should include. Having a set place to keep those emergency items safe and accessible is important as well, he said.
Foreman went more in-depth about what is important to include in emergency kits such as extra clothes, blankets, flashlights and/or candles, batteries, important medications, first aid kit, non-perishable food, water and other important supplies that may vary from family to family.
Another important piece of information Foreman gave to the audience was that they can text “GCSHERIFF” to 888777 to sign up for Nixle, a free, mass emergency notification system that GCSO uses to provide emergency information to residents.
“I'm glad that the City of Soap Lake is supported and covered by the emergency management
department of the Grant County Sheriff's Office,” said Soap Lake resident and Councilmember Leslie Taylor.
Taylor said the slideshow that Foreman presented will be available on the City of Soap Lake website soon for those who would like to know more about emergency preparedness.
Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.
Types of emergencies in Grant County:
Fires - Both wildland and structural
Hazardous weather conditions
Hazardous material spill
Radiological emergency
Flooding - maily Ephrata and Wilson Creek
Disease outbreak
