Pocatello Fire Department receives $10,000 donation for disaster preparedness kits
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The following is a news release from the city of Pocatello.
POCATELLO — Wildfire season is just around the corner and thanks to The Allstate Foundation, the Pocatello Fire Department will be helping residents be ready if disaster strikes.
Recently, the foundation donated $10,000 for fire prevention efforts including the purchase of 500 disaster preparedness starter kits to be given away for free to the public. The kits include emergency blankets, breathing masks, a refillable water bottle, flashlight, and more. Residents who would like a disaster preparedness starter kit can pick one up Saturday, April 20 at the Pocatello Fire Department’s Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair booth while supplies last. The fair is located at Caldwell Park and is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We encourage everyone to take the initiative and prepare long before the threat of a wildland fire,” said Kim Stouse, Community Relations/Education Specialist with the Pocatello Fire Department. “You can be ready by assembling emergency supplies and belongings in a safe place, creating defensible space by clearing brush and debris away from your home, as well as planning escape routes and making sure all those residing within the home know the plan.”
“Although it might be the last thing on your mind, a disaster could occur in any community at any time across the state of Idaho,” said local Allstate agent Don Bates. “Many people—85 percent, in fact—aren’t prepared. Allstate is here to help Idaho communities prepare and be less vulnerable in the event of a sudden disaster. Creating an emergency kit for you and your family is step one.”
In 2018, there were 1,132 wildfires that resulted in 604,481 acres being burned in Idaho, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.