News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Left to right, Tammy Kish, Karen Blackhurst and Rose Marie Guthrie show off the grab and go survival kits that will be door prizes during a personal emergency preparedness fair Saturday at Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

ALPENA — Making sure you have food, water and other critical items on hand during an emergency can help increase the chances of survival until help arrives or the threat has passed.

On Saturday the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is hosting a personal emergency preparedness fair at the church that will educate people how to create a survival kit to be stored and used during various disasters.

Rose Marie Guthrie said women at the church have talked for some time about having an event to help teach people how to be prepared and react in a serious emergency. She said often during emergencies such as tornadoes flooding and mass shootings people are forced to shelter in place for hours or days. Having a kit prepared with basic supplies and tools made beforehand can reduce the toll an emergency takes on a person physically and mentally.

“This will help individuals be self reliant in an emergency or disaster,” Guthrie said.

During the event people will learn what 72-hour and grab-and-go packs consist of and also how to have a plan in place on how to react in a life threatening situation.

“A grab-and-go bag is great for having in your car, while the 72-hour kit is developed to provide items that will help people who will be stuck in one place for a longer period of time,” she said. “You can keep the items in a tote or suitcase so you grab it and go as well if you need to.”

Guthrie said there will be different stations set up at the event, each focusing on a different emergency. She said people also will learn how to build a makeshift stove and there will be samples of recipes of food cooked.

Guthrie said as the world changes and there are more threats and severeweather events, people need to be more conscious of preparedness. She said there are many people who are unprepared and could struggle or suffer during a serious emergency.

“I think many in society have become complacent, but it is time to wake up,” she said. “Serious flooding is always a possibility in Alpena with all the lakes and rivers around it. Look what happened to the poor people in Midland. That was horrible and many people were affected by the flood.”

The event Saturday is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free. Guthrie said everyone is welcome and will be eligible to win prizes such as grab-and-go kits and a lantern. Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is located at 411 Long Rapids Plaza.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews.