Be it a wildfire, earthquake, tsunami or some other disaster, South Whidbey Fire/EMS and community partners hope to get ready for when an emergency strikes Whidbey Island.

Registration is now open for an all-day Preparedness Conference, which runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 at South Whidbey High School. The free event will include a range of guest speakers and breakout sessions for participants.

Fire Chief Nick Walsh said the conference grew out of a desire from South Whidbey Fire/EMS commissioners to focus on preparedness in the community. Walsh also attended the Washington Fire Chiefs Conference last year and was inspired by speaker Scott James, the founder and president of Bainbridge Prepares.

James is a speaker for the South Whidbey conference, along with Eric Brooks, the director of the Island County Department of Emergency Management, and Rick Anderson of Anderson Island Prepares. Bainbridge Prepares is a successful emergency preparedness model that has been used in other communities similar to Whidbey, Walsh said.

Community partners include the Goosefoot Community Foundation, Camano Prepares, Whidbey Climate ACTION, Whidbey Environmental Action Network, the Organic Farm School, the City of Langley and the Clinton Library, among many others.

“In the case of a big emergency, it’s important for people to know there’s not a cavalry that will arrive,” Walsh said, adding that South Whidbey Fire/EMS has limited resources and what services that are available will be overwhelmed.

The conference’s purpose is to bring people together and spark their interest in forming a more cohesive group for preparedness and resiliency. Island County Commission Melanie Bacon will be the event’s MC.

So far, 194 people have registered for the Preparedness Conference.

Refreshments and snacks will be available, though participants will probably want to consider packing a sack lunch. Copies of James’ book, “Prepared Neighborhoods,” will be for sale.

Visit swfe.org/register-today-for-the-2025-preparedness-conference to register for the upcoming event.