Silver Star Mountain prepares for wildfire emergency | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Vernon News

Silver Star Mountain prepares for wildfire emergency

Silver Star Mountain held a mock evacuation June 21, 2016, to prepare in case of a wildfire.
Image Credit: Brad Baker

SILVER STAR -  It was a village-wide fire drill, complete with an air siren and mock evacuation, and organizers are confident the community is ready if a wildfire strikes.

Silver Star Mountain held a wildfire awareness session Tuesday, June 21, which included practice using an evacuation route on the Deafies Creek forestry road.

“At 6:30 p.m. we commenced our test of our evacuation procedure pre-plan and sounded the air siren that is mounted on the roof of the hall,” Brad Baker, with Silver Star Fire Rescue, says.

At roughly 6:50 p.m. an evacuation convoy of 20 resident vehicles, one lead vehicle, one mid-stream vehicle and one sweep vehicle rolled out onto the evacuation route.

Participants proceeded through the initial accountability check point and drove the route to the receiving check point.

“We then drove back to the village and through the final accountability check point shortly after 8 p.m.,” Baker says.

Earlier in the evening, residents got a chance to look at various equipment displays, including sprinkler protection units.

“Inside the hall we had five stations set up with representatives from Silver Star Fire Rescue, Vernon Search and Rescue, Emergency Social Services, B.C. Wildfire Service, and Silver Star Mountain Resort,” Baker says. “At these stations we explained and answered questions with regards to the role each agency would play in the event of a wildfire at, or threatening, Silver Star Mountain.”

The single biggest point of interest was the Deafies Creek Forest Service Road evacuation route, Baker says.

“The night went really smoothly and we received great feedback and compliments from the 60 residents that attended,” Baker says.

Vehicles travelling down the Deafies Creek Forest Service Road.
Vehicles travelling down the Deafies Creek Forest Service Road.
Image Credit: Brad Baker

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