Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island held an information fair in support of Operation Prepare at the Nor’Wester Activity Center Sept. 2.

The event, held as part of National Preparedness Month, provided information about how to prepare for natural or man-made disasters. Operation Prepare is a Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) education and awareness campaign on emergency preparedness.

“Operation Prepare is the initiative to promote personal and family preparedness to the up, down and across the chain of command, because without being personally prepared we can’t go out and carry on the mission,” said Jeff Kirkey, NAS Whidbey Island emergency management officer. “This initiative gives us a chance to focus on those most basic things that we often overlook and get engaged.”

The event was co-hosted by NAS Whidbey Island Fleet and Family Support Center and Emergency Management.

“We have good synergy and a good working relationship with the Fleet and Family folks, and we’re all in it together. This is Team Whidbey,” said Kirkey. “We pulled it together as a team like we always do here on Whidbey, and this year the spirit of Operation Prepare is getting the word out there and getting the positive results and participation from everyone we’ve expected and then some.”

Subject matter experts were on hand to answer questions about developing an emergency kit, family, home and pet preparedness.

“It’s always very important that you’re prepared for anything. That’s what we’re trying to establish with incoming service members here, with family members, with everyone because you never know. All of us have to be ready,” said Legalman 1st Class (SW/AW) John Coates.”It’s important to make sure you take care of yourself and your family members and have all of these things in place in the event of any type of emergency.”

“Overall, I think the information is extremely important,” said Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (SW) Jennifer Homer. “I’m going to read through the material and probably get together kits for my car and my house. Also, I’m going to get my children educated. They’re still very young, but they need to know what to do to ensure their personal safety in the event that something happens.”

Included for this year’s Preparedness Month activities on NAS Whidbey Island is the “Race to Prepare” game and participants visit different agencies around base, such as Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, legal, medical, Navy Exchange or commissary and the chapel.

“The race is a monthlong event to get people thinking about getting prepared; that’s really the idea. If they just come to the information fair, they may forget. But if they have to find answers all monthlong, they’re going to be ready,” said Kathleen Johnson, work and family life consultant from the NAS Whidbey Island Fleet and Family Support Center. “Each week it’s something new and different to educate and familiarize people with the agencies that can help them in the event of an emergency.”

“We’ve had awesome participation from vendors and a steady flow of people; I think it’s been a really big success today,” said Johnson.