“Perfect Fit” Cantwell Accepts Emergency Prep Month Proclamation

At the September 9 City Council meeting, councilmember Joe Deets read a proposed proclamation making September 2025 Community Preparedness Month. Accepting the proclamation were BP Board Director Scott James and BP’s new Executive Director Dominique Cantwell. See the presentation here:

Cantwell spoke briefly. She said, “This proclamation is such an excellent reminder of how essential personal responsibility is to community resilience and, of course, how valuable partnership is.” She thanked COBI for its support of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) buildout at the Ted Spearman Justice Center, pointing out that the effort also took hundreds of volunteer hours. She added that she hoped when people saw the EOC antennas on the roof of the Justice Center that they would see them “as a symbol of an empowered, connected community.”

She concluded by encouraging people to join “750 of your friends in our volunteer corps. Every single person plays a role in making Bainbridge prepared.”

Mayor Ashley Matthews added that Cantwell “is such a gift to this community and was such a gift for many years at BPA and is such a perfect fit.”

Here is the proclamation:

PROCLAMATION

A PROCLAMATION by the City Council of the City of Bainbridge Island,

Washington, declaring September 2025, as the month to recognize the importance of

community preparedness.

WHEREAS, Bainbridge Island’s susceptibility to a wide range of hazards, both

natural and manmade, demonstrate the ongoing need for the City to prepare for a broad

range of emergencies and disasters; and

WHEREAS, the City has the responsibility to minimize the loss of life and property,

and protect the environment by preparing for, responding to, and recovering from such

events; and

WHEREAS, preparedness is the cornerstone of community resilience and is the

responsibility of every citizen, business owner and organizational leader on Bainbridge

Island; and

WHEREAS, the City, in partnership with numerous island agencies, organizations,

and community members, is working toward becoming a recognized leader in

preparedness in Washington; and

WHEREAS, the month of September is recognized nationally as Preparedness

Month.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ashley Mathews, Mayor of the City of Bainbridge Island, on

behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of September 2025, as

COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS MONTH

in the City of Bainbridge Island and urge all residents, businesses, and organizations to

actively participate in Community Preparedness Month by making a commitment to

increase our level of preparedness to collectively withstand any crisis.

Want to meet Cantwell? Join us at Day of Preparedness next Saturday, September 20, from 10 AM to 1 PM at Fire Station 21.

Take a moment to celebrate: