The Pacific Northwest is a great place to grow food, especially if you know what to do about our region’s pests and diseases. Learn to recognize and thwart these attackers at the June Veg Club session. Veg Club, a joint venture of Bainbridge Prepares and the Bainbridge Island Public Library, welcomes beginners, experienced gardeners, and people new to the Northwest. It’s always free. The next Veg Club is June 6, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom at https://krl.zoom.us/j/85709916119. To join the Veg Club reminders and news list, email Carol@hawkapp.com. Watch previous classes here. Upcoming class ..read more

The International Code Council (ICC) has released a wealth of home safety materials organized around five topics (one per week): Building Safety Starts at Home Building Safety Professionals and You Prepare Your Community Advocate for Your Community Solving Challenges Together Of particular interest in terms of disaster preparedness are weeks 1, 3, and 5. Week 1 tackles fire safety and building safety. Week 3 looks at disaster preparedness and hazard mitigation. And Week 5 focuses on global water scarcity. Fire Safety ICC says that it takes under 30 seconds for a small flame to get out of co ..read more

When the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration expired on May 11, what it signaled, unfortunately, was not the end of COVID. Instead, it represents the end of the federal government’s flexible response to the pandemic, which will result in changes to resource availability and data reporting: Throughout the pandemic, the federal government purchased and distributed COVID vaccines. It will continue to provide vaccines for the time being. When supplies run out, people will likely need to turn to the private market. In Washington, pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations will con ..read more

Bainbridge Prepares has teamed up with the Eagle Harbor Yacht Club, Peninsula Fire, and the U.S. Coast Guard to provide an opportunity for inspection, service, upgrading, and/or disposal of fire extinguishers. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 20, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., stop by the Winslow Wharf Marina parking lot with your fire extinguishers. Inspectors will examine your extinguishers and make recommendations about their upkeep. For $9.50, you can have your extinguisher serviced. You can also exchange your old extinguisher for an upgrade or, if the unit no longer works well, you can dispose of it ..read more

May is Volcano Awareness Month in Washington State. It is also the 43rd anniversary of the eruption of Mt St. Helen’s. The proclamation issued by Governor Inslee warns that “The people of our state should become familiar with volcano hazards in their communities, become two weeks ready for any disaster, and have awareness of evacuation routes in order to prepare to respond effectively.” Although Washington has five active volcanoes, on Bainbridge Island our biggest concern would be falling ash. Typically, winds blow west to east, which would take ash away from the island. However, we Was ..read more

Sustainability includes preparedness. In honor of Earth Day, in addition to reducing your footprint, make sure your family and your neighbors are prepared for emergencies. This Saturday, April 22, from 10:00 am to 2 pm, Bainbridge Prepares and its partners—The City of Bainbridge Island and the Bainbridge Island Fire Department—will be hosting an information booth at the Bainbridge Island Earth Day Expo to answer your questions and hand out information. Volunteers at our booth will tell you about Map Your Neighborhood, the Firewise program, and how to Prepare in a Year. Visit with local busine ..read more

FEMA has enhanced its National Risk Index data and access tool to improve people’s ability to learn about the relative risks of the areas where they live. The updates show a moderate level of risk for Kitsap County. Compare that to the high risk level of King County. The risk index is calculated by multiplying the expected annual loss by social vulnerability and then dividing that figure by community resilience. The Kitsap County expected annual loss is relatively moderate, social vulnerability is relatively low, and community resilience is relatively high. Here is how Kitsap rates in te ..read more

The City of Bainbridge Island and Puget Sound Energy are hosting a webinar May 11 to share ways to reduce home energy use. These include a new energy-efficiency program for Bainbridge Island customers called Peak Energy Rewards. The program uses smart technology to address our community’s electric capacity needs. You can join simply by enrolling your smart thermostat. If you don’t already have one, you can get one installed through the program with a rebate to help cover costs. Participants in the program receive $75 annually and are eligible for higher rebates on heating equipment, weatheriz ..read more

When the Washington State Ferry Walla Walla ran aground after losing steering power on its way from Seattle to Bremerton on Friday evening (April 14), the Bainbridge Prepares Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was put on standby status for possible emergency activation. The steering power to the ferry cut out sometime around 4:40 p.m., after a possible generator failure, and the 600 passengers and crew aboard the vessel were warned to brace for impact as it became clear the ferry was drifting toward Bainbridge shoreline in Rich Passage. The landing was gentle and no one was injured by th ..read more

Veg Club, a joint venture of Bainbridge Prepares and the Bainbridge Island Public Library, is tackling insects during its May session. Many garden insects are actually predators that protect our gardens from pests. How do we know which is which? What can we plant to attract them and make sure they’re ready when the pests arrive? Come meet these helpful creatures virtually and learn how to get them to work for you while making your garden more beautiful. Veg Club sessions are always free. The session is at 6:30 on Tuesday, May 9. (Note: This Veg Club is on the second Tuesday of the mo ..read more