Emergency preparedness taking center stage at town meeting

There are only two chances a year to attend a Central Kitsap Community Council town meeting and the next opportunity is this Wednesday.

Kitsap County emergency preparedness is the hot topic at the meeting which begins at 7 p.m. at the Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue and Silverdale Water District headquarters on Newberry Hill Road.

Phyllis Mann of the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management is giving a 45-minute presentation on emergency preparedness in the county that will include a 15-minute question and answer session.

“Since the whole world is aware of natural disasters with the recent earthquake in Pakistan, the hurricanes in the South and the Tsunami in Asia, we allowed an hour so that people can hear the message of what they can do to safeguard their family and take the proper precautions,” said Hank Mann-Sykes, president of the CKCC. “It’s something that we need to think about. If the bridges go down we could be an island here on the peninsula. I hope the public will come to find out what the county has to prepare for a natural disaster.”

Also on the agenda is the Citizens Advisory Committee’s upcoming open house. The committee is working under the direction of the Kitsap County Department of Community Development on the Silverdale subarea plan.

The Central Kitsap Community Council is an advisory board to the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners.

“Since we are not incorporated we don’t have a city council,” Mann-Sykes said. “Central Kitsap Community Council members are a good link to the county.”

The final 25 minutes of the town meeting will be reserved for public input.

“It can be anything they want to talk about,” Mann-Sykes said. “It’s a good time to come and express their views.”

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