Summary – Emergency Preparedness, October 23rd 2014

First out was SWEA member Suzanne Elshult and her rescue dog Keb. Suzanne showed us a capturing movie of the search and rescue mission in Oso, WA. Suzanne and Keb were an integral part of the mission together with her fellow volunteers from Snohomish County Search and Rescue.

Stefan Kinnestrand told us about volunteering for Seattle Mountain Rescue, King County. He underlined the importance of being well prepared when going out hiking – this could be by always letting someone know where you are going and be sure to wear weather appropriate clothing.

A volunteer joined us from the local Red Cross. He talked about the importance of having survival kits at home and in your vehicles. This also entails copies of important documents and further the Red Cross advises every home to have supplies to survive for up to 14 days in isolation. Consul Lars Jonsson presented the Consulate’s cooperation with the Red Cross in case of emergency and underlined the importance of efficient communication within the Swedish network in WA and OR.

Last but not least SACC-Seattle’s Jakob Sjöberg and John Macpherson, Water Treatment Specialists at UMC, showed us how to create clean drinking water. The kit that they demonstrated is the result of their latest research and is one of the most efficient methods on the market right now. To learn more about the kit or to order one, please email Jakob Sjöberg (jakob@sacc-seattle.org).