Building a Ready Community: Partnership for Floyd to host second Emergency Preparedness Fair
In a rural county of more than 15,000 people, Partnership for Floyd's Jane Cundiff said it is important for every resident to be prepared for emergencies.
Partnership for Floyd (PFF) is hosting its second annual Floyd Emergency Preparedness Fair this month. A total of 22 emergency service providers will be in attendance to answer questions, provide demonstrations, and more.
PFF's Jane Cundiff said the fair started when the nonprofit, which is known for holding community wellness and sustainability events, "decided that we really need to get people prepared for more emergencies." She noted that one of the goals of PFF members is to serve the community through events like this one.
The Emergency Preparedness Fair will be held at the Floyd EcoVillage Event Center from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. There will be representatives there to talk about Floyd County's Volunteer Fire Department, Sheriff's Office, local Emergency Medical Services, Red Cross, local emergency veterinary services, the NRV Women's Resource Center, Floyd Department of Health, and others. Door prizes will be handed out to attendees until 1 p.m.
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In a rural county of more than 15,000 people, Cundiff said it is important for every resident to be prepared for emergencies. "I'm really hoping people start taking that seriously." Preparation includes meeting your neighbors and creating a neighborhood plan "with a list of skills and available resources," Cundiff explained. Building these relationships can help is heavy machinery is needed to clear a road, for example, or if someone suffers an injury and a neighbor has medical experience to help until EMS arrives. Plus, Cundiff said, there are going to be more "weather emergencies. There are going to be more heat problems and people having to deal with that."
The first step of preparation can be as simple as having a small get together with people you already know, Cundiff said.
"One of the most important things to learn is that in any emergency our neighbors are the most important people in our lives. We might be the ones to save them; they might be the ones to save us. Some of them are our emergency providers (on a regular basis)," Cundiff said. "One goal that we're setting is for the emergency providers to get to know each other so that they can communicate with each other. They may not be able to do something, but they can call in another service. And that's a very valuable time" for someone in need.
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The fair will feature two panels — one about the county-wide alert system "Everbridge," and one about Floyd's first responders and the advice they have for residents. The county's Emergency Management Department will lead the first panel at 11:25 a.m., and members of the Sheriff's Office, EMS teams, and fire department will participate in the 1:40 p.m. panel.
Additionally, Pamela Logan of WIN Care in Floyd, will give a talk titled, "Environmental Emergencies are Health Emergencies," at 1:15 p.m., and Beverly Hill of NRV Emergency Health Services will discuss "Building an Emergency Preparedness Kit" at 2:20 p.m.
Despite the serious nature of the Emergency Preparedness Fair, Cundiff said the event will not just be "all business. At lunchtime, we're going to have a big community sing-along where everybody can come out to the pavilion at the Event Center... (There will be) musicians, and anybody who wants to come and play and sing (is welcome)." Mike Mitchell and students of The Floyd Music School will lead the jam.
Everyone is invited to attend the 2026 Floyd Emergency Preparedness Fair. Admission is free, and doors open to the public at 11 a.m. on Sept. 19. The Event Center is located at 188 EcoVillage Trail.
Cundiff said that PFF is still looking for a few volunteers to help with parking and serving food. Anyone interested in learning more or volunteering should email Jane Cundiff at partnershipforfloyd@gmail.com, and visit www.partnershipforfloyd.org.
Mark J. Harris
Floyd County Farm Bureau
(540) 745-2021
335 E. Oxford St.
Floyd VA 24091
