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8 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2024 | For the past three years, Sun Lakes Country Club EPAP Team and our residents have taken part in the Great California Shake Out Earthquake Drill. We take part so that our residents will be prepared and ready in the event of a large earthquake or other large disaster. This year's Shake Out Drill will take place on Thurs., Oct. 17, at 10:17 am. However, during this year's drill, we are not going to be practicing an earthquake drill, but we will be conducting a Shelter in Place Drill. What does "Shelter-in-Place" actually mean? In our Sun Lakes' EPAP Manual it states, "Sheltering in Place is often a superior course of action in an emergency situation than it is to attempt to evacuate a community of size and complexity as Sun Lakes Country Club." Other resources state sheltering-in-place means finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an "all clear" or told to evacuate. The purpose of sheltering in place is to safeguard occupants during an emergency outside the home. When is sheltering in place the best option? According to the Sun Lakes EPAP Organization, FEMA, the Red Cross and other preparedness resources, sheltering in place is the best option if: • There is heavy smoke (as might be caused by an adjacent brush fire) • A toxic or hazardous waste spill • An active shooter or severe weather conditions For this year's drill, we will be simulating an Active-Shooter/ Shelter-in-Place scenario. The simulation will include a person entering our community by jumping over the fence off of Sun Lakes Blvd. near La Costa Dr., running between the homes and onto the golf course near hole 18, evading the police, and firing shots from their gun. The police will be in pursuit. Innocent golfers and residents will be hit by bullets and there will be multiple injuries. An announcement to "Shelter in Place" will come to you by your Zone Captains. (THIS IS A DRILL! Police will not actually be involved.) You will receive a phone call or text from your District Zone Captain to take shelter in your home. You should quickly go inside, lock all doors and windows, close curtains and/or blinds, and shelter in an interior room such as a bathroom or closet. You should stay there until you receive an "all clear" announcement or message. You will receive another a phone call or text letting you know the drill is complete. For more information on all the different types of shelter-in-place instructions, go to www.sunlakescc.com, click on Community and scroll down to EPAP. You can also find information on Facebook, Sun Lakes EPAP group, Channel 97, and Good Day Sun Lakes. It is very important that we prepare, practice and participate in these drills. BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE LIVES. In the event of an actual emergency, you can receive emergency updates by registering your cell phones with Riverside County at riversideca.gov/services.asp, or calling Sun Lakes EPAP and getting updates from Sun Lakes EPAP Facebook group page. ~ Janis Rice, EPAP PIO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EPAP PREPAREDNESS DRILL As my second year in office nears its end, I'd like to reflect on our accomplishments for our senior community. This year, we created programs focused on providing services to seniors, such as the Hire- a-Senior program and the Home Rehabilitation Program (HRP). I created HRP after we learned that many seniors on a fixed income weren't getting help to fix their homes because they do not own the land. With this program, we are helping many seniors get the home repairs they need. Remember to follow me on social media and reach out to my office if you want to learn more about our services. Supervisor's Message By Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez

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