Menifee Emergency Preparedness Fair is a big success

Talk about a bird's-eye selfie... Council member Matt Liesemeyer smiles at the camera from the top of a fire engine ladder.

By Tommie Brown

Living in a valley of Southern California, Menifee citizens are no strangers to the destruction that both natural and man-made disasters cause. From fires that burned down hundreds of thousands of acres to mudslides and floods that the rainy seasons bring to the so frequent earthquakes we barely notice rumbling anymore, it is safe to say Menifee has been the sitting duck in a pond of States of Emergencies.

This is why on Sept. 15, a few of the leaders in the community saw it fit to hold Menifee’s first annual Emergency Preparedness Fair.

“Menifee needs to be prepared for emergencies,” said Mayor Pro Tem Lesa Sobek. “It’s not if one will happen; it’s a matter of when.”

Therefore, Sobek did not hesitate to stand behind David Foust, event Volunteer Coordinator, when he proposed the idea of the fair in honor of September being National Preparedness Month.

FEMA, America’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, has recently changed its Disaster Planning guidelines, stating that rather than the previously preferred 72 hours of self-sustainability per person, the suggested amount of time for each individual to be totally self-sufficient is seven days. And while some information could be found in a Google search, how to stay safe in sudden emergencies is not necessarily public knowledge.

With an estimated turnout of 250 residents, along with handfuls of vendors and volunteers, Kay Ceniceros Senior Center was full of eager learners and helpful hands. Key planners in the event were Riverside County CAL FIRE, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Menifee CERT, and members of the Menifee Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Using a mock car crash, emergency crews display how treatment is given during a traffic accident.

Showing up in booths to hand out either pamphlets, knowledgeable advice, how-to’s, or boosts of encouragement were participants including Riverside County Emergency Management Department, Southern California Gas Company, Southern California Edison, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Healthy Menifee, the Menifee Valley Amateur Radio Club, and the Menifee Valley Medical Center.

Bringing in a fire simulator house to teach children how to be prepared for home fires, Youth Fire Explorers from local Post 76 walked children through the mock house, teaching them useful tips on what to do in case they were trapped in a burning house.

Alongside the Fire Explorers were youth from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Explorer Post. Both groups guided guests through the event, where they were given tips such as how to secure their homes for earthquake preparation, how to create DIY emergency water filters, how to manually shut off the gas in a home, what to do with appliances and other belongings if your house is flooding, and even how to handle active shooter situations.

Somewhere between learning survival skills and climbing the ladder of CAL FIRE Crew 76’s truck, Councilman Matt Liesemeyer saw the event as a perfect opportunity to personally thank the first responders and get a bird’s-eye view into what these responders go through for our protection.

Overall, the event was felt to be a success with a positive turnout rate, especially considering it was the first event of its kind here in Menifee.

“The only negative take-away in my opinion,” said Sobek at the Sept. 19 City Council meeting, “is that we have outgrown the facility!”

“Emergencies can happen at any time... Our goal for the fair was to help our citizens become safer, stronger, and better prepared to handle any type of disaster,” Foust said. “I think we took a big step towards reaching that goal by holding this fair.”

Foust was awarded with a Certificate of Recognition from the entire city council and mayor for voicing his concerns and making a change in the community.

“We need to encourage our community to call out outstanding leadership and those who want to make a difference so that we can grow leaders. Leadership in the community is what makes a better city,” said Sobek.

And in this case Foust, along with all of the volunteers and participants, not only helped make Menifee a better city – they helped make it a safer one, too.

Youth Explorers help supervise demonstrations in a mock house fire.

City of Menifee officials and first responders pose for a group photo during the Emergency Preparedness Fair.