The Hornby Island Emergency Committee is a committee under HIRRA.
Our mission statement:
To collaborate with other organizations in providing ongoing education and support for Hornby residents to become more prepared for a range of potential emergencies.
The Emergency Preparedness Committee was formed in 2018 to research and coordinate information for a Hornby Island emergency preparedness. Of course, the foundation for any emergency preparation has to be individual, household and neighbourhood emergency preparedness, so education is a big component of the Committee’s work. The BC Provincial Emergency Preparedness web-site has a lot of useful resources and information.
Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP)
The foundation of emergency preparedness is personal and neighbourhood preparedness through the Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program.
The Committee is currently asking for people from each of Hornby’s neighbourhoods to volunteer as Neighbourhood Emergency Volunteers. These Volunteers will receive training and information about organizing neighbourhood meetings to review emergency preparedness information and identify neighbourhood resources and needs. Some neighbourhoods already have Volunteers, but there are many that do not yet have a Volunteer or alternate. View the map to see if your neighbourhood is in need: Hornby NEPP map Sept 2023.
Contact HIRRA Administrator if you are interested in being a Neighbourhood Volunteer or alternate.
The Comox Valley Emergency Program has a simple but comprehensive guide to help you start Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) planning: NEPP Guide
What is the role of a NEPP volunteer?
The role of the NEPP volunteer is one of coordination. You invite neighbours to share basic information about what resources and skills they have (and can share) and identify community needs in the context of an emergency. You initiate communication. This can occur by organizing a get together with neighbours; although not necessary this strategy is efficient and often fun! One can also gather information by email, phone calls or door-to-door interactions. Sharing local knowledge can be key to determining how people might rely on each other during or after an emergency. A NEPP volunteer will make neighbours aware of what resources are in their area, and where necessary can work to determine an assembly site. Updating information in your neighbourhood is recommended annually; currently on Hornby there is lots of movement with folks coming and going.
NEPP is a totally grassroots activity and is completely voluntary. Neighbours are invited to participate, and they can decline the invitation. There are no “top down” aspects except for experts in our Comox Valley District providing support: professional brochures, experiential knowledge, tax funding, encouragement, local resources. As an Island committee we offer support when and where requested or needed.
If you agree to be a NEPP volunteer, we provide a First Aid kit and Visibility Vest, guidelines, brochures, and logistical support for deciding on a neighbourhood gathering should you need it.
HIEPC has a neighbourhood map of Hornby posted on the porch of the COOP. Take a look! If the area you reside in does not have a Green Dot next to it in the Legend (lower left on Map), we are looking for volunteers to help in those neighbourhoods. To serve as a volunteer for these areas, please contact Amy Lebaron, nepp@hirra.ca.
Please consider getting involved and being part of determining a more resilient and capable Hornby community!
Grab and Go Bags
An easy first step for personal emergency preparedness is to set up a “grab-and-go bag.” A grab-and-go bag is a small emergency kit that’s easy to take with you, in case you need to leave right away. It’s a good idea to make grab-and-go bags for your home, workplace and vehicle. The following list can be modified to fit your needs. The actual “bag” may be in a backpack, a rolling suitcase, or even just a shopping bag or large shoulder bag. A grab-and-go bag is very handy for unexpected hospital trips (grab it if you or a family member is going to the clinic or being transported by ambulance), as well as potential evacuation, fire, etc.
Items to include: [also see this graphic: NEPP Grab and Go image 2024]
- Food (ready to eat) and water bottle
- Phone charger and charged battery bank
- Small battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Battery-powered or hand-crank flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Small first-aid kit and personal medications
- Personal toiletries and items, such as an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses
- Copy of your emergency plan and family contacts
- Copies of important documents, such as insurance papers and identification
- Cash in small bills
- Local map with your family meeting place identified
- Seasonal clothing and an emergency blanket
- Pen and notepad
- Whistle
- Pet food and any medications for your pets (if needed)
Inform Your Visitors
Many people visit Hornby Island in the summer and throughout the year. Visitors come to connect with family and friends, mountain-bike, swim, walk the trails, buy arts and crafts, or just unwind in our rural remote community. If you have visitors staying on your property, help them be prepared for an emergency. The following handout was circulated by the Hornby Island Short Term Rental Association to assist their members. The information is useful for anyone on Hornby who hosts visitors: HISTRA Owners and Guests Emerg Prep Plan 2024
Evacuation Manual
Comox Valley Emergency Preparedness (CVEP) worked with Committee members to prepare an evacuation manual for the island. The manual of operational guidelines is available on their web-site: Evacuation Guidelines
Emergency Preparedness Committee 2024
- Bernie Kowey
- Amy LeBaron
- Albini Lapierre
- Tom Ruth
- Henry Touwslager
Minutes of a Community Emergency Preparedness Meeting held in February 2018 that led to the creation of the HIRRA Emergency Preparedness Committee later that year.
THANK YOU to BC Hydro, Hornby Island Community Fund, Comox Valley Foundation, Comox Valley Emergency Program and other funders.
In the last few years, the Emergency Preparedness Committee has received grants from the Hornby Island Economic Enhancement Corporation, BC Hydro, Baynes Sound Lions Club, Hornby Island Community Fund, Comox Valley Foundation, Comox Valley Emergency Program and other funders to purchase radio equipment and first aid supplies; upgrade generators; and provide workshops and publicity on emergency preparedness.
The Hornby Island Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program is a member of HIRRA.
Thank you to all these organizations and volunteers, for supporting this important community work.
We humbly acknowledge that we live and work and play in the unceded and traditional territory of the K’omoks First Nation, traditional keepers of this land.