Thanks to BC Hydro’s Community Giving Program, the Denman Island Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Association (DINEPA) has recently received a grant of $900 to help with post-disaster communications.
The funds will enable DINEPA to purchase two-way radios to be used by the designated neighbourhood co-ordinators to communicate, in the event of an island-wide disaster such as earthquakes, interface wildfires, wind storms etc.
Being on a small Gulf Island with limited resources means that residents and especially neighbourhoods, must be prepared to ensure their resilience to disasters. Depending on how widespread the disaster is, waiting for help from elsewhere could take days if not weeks. Having the ability to communicate with individual neighbourhoods will be crucial to Denman Island’s recovery and allows us to help ourselves while waiting for emergency responders.