City of Yelm Emergency Preparedness

imagesThe City of Yelm is actively involved in preparation and training involving natural and/or man-made disasters.  The city continues to evaluate and improve emergency services.

We encourage our citizens to sign up for Thurston Community Alert and Smart 911 in order to be notified in the case of an emergency and provide first responders critical information that can help save lives. The service uses several types of alerts to warn the public of potential hazards within the cities and unincorporated Thurston County. The system is intended to be used for emergency alerts, as well as non-emergency incidents that may have significant impacts to residents.

Emergency Alerts could be related to specific hazards that require action be taken such as evacuation, shelter in place, boil water orders, etc. Non-emergency alerts include significant transportation problems with prolonged impacts or significant ongoing police or fire activity. In addition to receiving information on your wireless device, you may also receive notification on your land telephone line or via email.

Vulnerable Citizens:
The City of Yelm’s Emergency Management Board is working with the community to identify those who may need extra help in times of emergencies. You may have health issues or a living situation that puts you at risk or makes you vulnerable in the event of an emergency. Your consent to be added to a Vulnerable Citizens List means that Yelm officials will attempt to contact you prior to and/or during times of extreme emergency. The only limitation is that you must reside within the city limits of Yelm. If you know someone that could benefit from being on the list you can complete the required information on the Vulnerable Citizens’ Form and drop off at the Yelm Police Department.

What to Do to Make it Through:
Catastrophes can happen at any time. Preparing for three days will help you make it through many situations you'll face in the Puget Sound region. However, to make it through a major catastrophe - like Hurricane Katrina or the earthquake and tsunami in Japan - you'll need to be prepared for longer - at least 7 to 10 days. Learn more about "What to Do to Make it Through".

Quake Smart Tool Kit:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently produced a QuakeSmart Toolkit for businesses. The kit provides guidance on things you can do to help mitigate the damage an earthquake can do to your personnel, property, and to help lessen any financial losses that might be incurred. For more information and to access the QuakeSmart Earthquake Mitigation Toolkit for Businesses
 
Are You Ready?
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has a citizen preparedness website called Ready.gov that includes a variety of disaster preparedness information.