Info Hub locations in Sammamish. Click on image to enlarge.

There will be a disaster drill exercise Saturday, Oct. 31, in Sammamish for residents of the City call Info Hub. Hours are from 9am to 1pm. Since it is Halloween, children showing up with parents will receive a prize.

This is a “drop-in” event, not something for which residents have to plan a four hour commitment.

The Sammamish Citizens Corp. (SCC), a volunteer group that is affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security, is the organizer. The City of Sammamish will also participate.

“In the event of Catastrophic Disaster, the Citizens of Sammamish need to be able to be on their own for 3-10 days,” says the SCC.  “Part of recovery is to reunite family members and to share resources within the community.  By creating a meeting place accessible to a larger population and sharing that information, neighbors will have a place to go to give and get information and resources.  Each Info Hub will need communicators.   By using the Elementary School boundaries, we can divide the plateau into 11 zones and locate the Info Hubs at a public/private Park within that zone.  There can be multiple Info Hubs within the boundary of an elementary school.”

The SCC operates with a network of HAM radio operators to help provide communications during a disaster, when power, phone service and cell phone service could be cut or overwhelmed.

“In the event of a disaster, neighbors can gather at an Info Hub location to share information and communications with other Info Hubs and the City Emergency Operations Center,” SCC says. “This is a low-tech method of communication….”

Current Info Hubs are at:

• East Sammamish Park
• Summer Ridge Park
• Ebright Creek Park
• the Roundabout at 244th NE and Main St.
• Beaver Lake Ball Fields
• Deerfield Park
• the Klahanie office, near Lakeside Pool
• Highland Creek Common Area

Info Hubs are needed in the Blackwell, Discovery and Cascade Ride school areas.

Lyman Howard, deputy city manager, said he’ll be roving from one Info Hub to another. Additionally, a communications truck will be at City Hall.

“The City has requested the COM 80 Van from Eastside Fire and Rescue to be at City Hall on Saturday morning (October 31) to assist in the HUB Exercise.  I’ve confirmed that this request will be fulfilled,” he wrote Sammamish Comment. “I’ll plan on being here at City Hall to participate with the communications van initially.  After observing and participating with them, I’ll migrate to each of the HUB locations to observe and participate with the attendees of each HUB. After the exercise, we plan to de-brief with the leadership of the Sammamish Citizen Corps regarding lessons learned, what can be done better and have discussion related to Cascade Rising, etc.”