Annual Day of Preparedness

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026

Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Location: Fire Station 21 (8895 Madison Ave. N)

Admission: FREE

Each year, we offer something a little different to help prepare our community. This year, we’re having breakout sessions in the Station 21 Community Room:

From 10 to 10:30 the BP Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) team will offer a demo on how to build your own Berkey-style water filter.
From 10:45 to 11:30, BP Executive Director Stephen Richardson, Emergency Manager Anne Lesage, and BIFD Chief Jared Moravec will conduct a fireside chat on preparedness.
From 11:45 to 12:30, BIFD staff will offer mini-CPR training. This requires advance registration.

And, at 12:30, Airlift Northwest will conduct a demonstration helicopter landing at the Station 21 helipad.

As always, we’re bringing demos and learning opportunities covering the following range of topics:

Gear bags: Do you know what to pack in your go-bag (evacuate), get-home bag (get home), or medical kit? Come look at some examples of each and get ideas for your kits.

Communications and tech: Learn what you can use to keep communication lines open—from local-use radios for staying in touch with neighbors and your Disaster Hub to tech solutions (Starlink) and other satellite messaging services (Zoleo and Garmin InReach) for communicating with out-of-state friends and family.

Puget Sound Energy: PSE will be on site to share their wildfire mitigation plans including Public Safety Power Shut-offs and medical life support information.

Back-up Power: Bainbridge Prepares will show off some gear you can use to stay powered up and running when the grid falters. From solar-recharging battery banks to dual-fuel (gasoline and propane) generators, key tools can power your devices or extend the use of your fridge/freezer during outages.

Fire Preparedness: Our partners at the Bainbridge Island Fire Department will discuss the Firewise program and (with our Community Emergency Response Team) talk about choosing the right fire extinguisher and using it effectively.

Water: Water is the most basic need, and it will become a limited resource following a disaster. Our Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH) team will help you think about storage options for a household supply of water and discuss maintenance of your water-heater (another source of potable water during a disaster).

Gather information, talk to experts, and enjoy giveaways (while they last):