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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JANUARY 2025 | 5 Another year has come and gone. As always, EPAP has trained and prepared our volunteers and residents to get through unpredictable situations. Other than a few power outages and a couple too-close- for-comfort fires, we are still standing. In reviewing the past year, the EPAP Team has gathered some statistics, from the drill and other events, which took place over the past year. One of the most frustrating facts we uncovered in the debriefings is the need to increase communication between our team volunteers and the residents. The number of residents we could not reach during October's drill was higher than we anticipated. And, this is mostly due to our residents who still have landlines as their primary source of phone service. This is an issue because 1) during a power outage, if your landline is cordless, it relies on electricity to operate the handset from the base station (if you still own a corded phone, they generally will work during a power outage because it operates on a separate copper wire network that doesn't require electricity to function); 2) landlines cannot receive text messages. During a power outage or a disaster that disrupts electrical power, most communications will be done by radios and cell phones. During a power outage or disruption, cell phones have an approximate probability of working 70 percent of the time. (Note: If cell towers are damaged there could be transmission disruption). The EPAP Team will be introducing a text messaging system, which will be used to send out text messages in the event of a power outage, natural or man-made disaster, or during our drills. This system will only work with cell phones. We will share more about this program as it becomes available. Another very problematic issue is the lack of volunteers. EPAP relies on volunteers to work with the residents in each District. These include EPAP Coordinators, Program Managers, MRTs (first aid assistance), and Zone Captains. Being a volunteer isn't a difficult task. We train you to assist EPAP with the residents during our drills or an emergency situation. It really comes down to neighbors helping neighbors. We are in extreme need of volunteers. On Jan. 11, EPAP will be holding our annual Open House from 2 to 4 pm at the Emergency Operations Center located in the maintenance building, near the second stop sign on Country Club (more information to come). We hope everyone will join us and find out what it takes to be a volunteer. Finally, we would like to do a short and simple survey to help us understand the needs of our community. Please send your answers to EPAP@sunlakescc.com. 1. Do you attend EPAP trainings? 2. Would you attend an evening EPAP meeting and/or trainings? 3. Are you still working? 4. Would you like more information on becoming an EPAP Volunteer? EPAP is here for the Sun Lakes Country Club community. We want to hear from and work with our residents. BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! ~ Janis Rice, EPAP PIO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Welcome 2025 & A Look Back At 2024 EPAP ANIMAL RESCUE GROUP We meet at 10 am in the Multipurpose Room on the third Monday of the following five months each year: September, November, January, March, and May. Mark your calendar and be sure to join us on Mon., Jan. 20. We strive to bring interesting and informative guest speakers to our meetings to help you keep your animals safe and healthy. For more information or to volunteer, contact Sandy Burgon at (909) 855-0226.

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