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Good Shepherd hosts Emergency Preparedness Seminar

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ANDREA GALABINSKI Lee County Emergency Management official Terry Kelly, North Fort Myers Fire Chief Terry Pye and Disaster Team Leader Gary Olson at seminar.

Experts are predicting an average or a little above average hurricane season in 2009, “But it only takes one,” said several speakers at a recent Emergency Preparedness Seminar, held April 21 at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church.

Speakers included Good Shephard Disaster Team Leader Gary Olson, Pastor Tom Willets, North Fort Myers Fire Chief Terry Pye, Lee County Emergency Management official Terry Kelly and WINK-TV meteorologist Brian Monahan.

Many community members turned out to learn or refresh themselves on disaster preparedness.

“I lived through Andrew in Miami,” said Pastor Willetts in his introduction. “I wasn’t prepared. And the Methodist Church donated $36 million to help the community and we realized that we could make a huge impact.”

He said every Methodist Church suffered damage then, but no church closed after the hurricane.

“We remained open and turned the church into a grocery store, a lumber yard, needed centers. That’s the depth and level of our commitment to community members,” he said of why the church hosted the seminar.

WINK-TV meteorologist Brian Monahan educated the crowd on how hurricanes work, and talked specifically about past activity and this season.

“This is my fourth hurricane season here,” he said. After Hurricane Wilma and Charley and less activity in the last few years, he noted that people are a little more secure, but need to be prepared.

“Hopefully, this is information you will never have to use. But remember it only takes one, even in the quietest of seasons,” he said of a storm that could wreak havoc on an area.

“Always be prepared, even though they are predicting an average season,” said speaker Terry Kelly of Lee County Emergency Management. “Citizens can be prepared by having a Hurricane Kit in case you have to evacuate.”

He talked specifically about our community.

“This area, North Fort Myers, has a mixture of housing developments from CVS construction to mobile and manufactured homes,” Kelly said. “Anyone, especially in a manufactured home, needs to know if they are told to leave, we want them to leave.”

He said not to think about Charley or any of the other storms that may have happened before, because that can get people injured or possibly killed, when people think they won’t be hit.

“Things happen differently, because every storm is different,” he said. “We want people to be aware of their surroundings, where they can go, and the community response teams in North Fort Myers are doing a great job.”

North Fort Myers Fire Chief Terry Pye had this advice: “Make sure you are listening to the TV, always prepare a disaster kit at the start of hurricane season and don’t be complacent.”

One location that may be a shelter in case of a hurricane disaster is the North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts.

“If they do open the academy as a shelter, there will be generators brought there,” he said.

Pye also said he was very happy with the attendance and interest in the seminar.

“The crowd was very interested and it was very nice to see so many people there,” he said.

Local artist Gary Olson coordinated the event, and introduced the Good Shephard Disaster Team members. Besides himself, the team includes Pastor Tom Willets, Dutch Hess, Russ Hillbish, Linda Lindquist, Ron Stevens, Marjorie Cunningham, Joan Bowsby, Dick Smalley and Judy Stephenson.

Lee County Emergency Management guides were distributed, and the The North Fort Myers Neighbor will be distributing its own Breeze Newspapers Hurricane Preparedness 2009 Guide.

“This timely guide is an invaluable tool for every resident to be prepared for this hurricane season,” said Neighbor Sales Associate Linda Frost.

She is currently working with community resources and business leaders to offer the area-specific information. The guide will be published May 27.

For businesses who have information to be included in the guide, call Frost at 464-0336.