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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | APRIL 2026 | 7 PREPARE TO EVACUATE By Janis Rice, EPAP PIO DON'T PANIC … BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE! For many years, the Sun Lakes EPAP Team has been doing its best to prepare our residents for a major disaster, such as a re, earthquake, or chemical spill. We've held yearly preparedness drills, conducted training sessions, and provided resources to be prepared. And of course, you feel you are ready, until you nd out something big is coming! For us living in Sun Lakes, it would most likely be a re (we would shelter in place aer an earthquake or chemical spill). You've seen the smoke, heard the sirens, but apparently you have missed the WARNINGS. ings are moving fast, and now you have minutes to get out of the community. FIVE MINUTES TO EVACUATE AND THERE'S A KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR. You need to get out NOW! Statistics show that people who don't panic do their best. e rst rule of a ve-minute evacuation is to gure out what you are going to do and GO DO IT! Second rule, LIVING THINGS ONLY! Do not worry about the "stu " until all LIVING THINGS ARE SAFE! Hopefully, you have your "Go Bag" where you can grab it, get out, and seek safe shelter. FIVE MINUTES TO EVACUATION – THINK AHEAD Gather the family. Bring everyone together in one safe place in your home. You lose precious time if you must nd someone. A non-mobile or bedridden person takes special accommodation and planning. Take this into consideration when making your evacuation plan. Where do you go? is should always be part of your evacuation plan. Know your exit route. How far you get depends on how you're traveling (car or on foot) and if the roads around you are open. Have a meeting place if you are not altogether. Have names and locations of people you can stay with. THIRTY MINUTES TO EVACUATE In this scenario, you have a bit more time, but getting out is the goal. LIVING THINGS are the most important and always come rst. It's important that you and your family stay together. You should have your "Go Bag" ready, but now you can grab a few of those cherished items. But before you start taking pictures or fragile antiques, remember you need to load them into your vehicle and nd room for them. More important is your contact information, medication, important papers, pillows, blankets, extra food and water, portable lights, and charging/power sources in case there is no electricity. THIRTY MINUTES TO EVACUATION – THINK AHEAD How and where should you gather? Whether you have ve minutes or ve hours to evacuate, it is important to have a designated meeting place. Where do you go? Refer to your evacuation map. Use resources for road closures and updates. How long might you be away from your home? Depending on the situation you may be out of your home for more than 72 hours. For more information, contact EPAP at (951) 524-3126. 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. 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. Supervisor's Message By Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez Today, I'd like to talk about our Tech on Wheels (ToW) program, which has been a great resource for providing outreach and technical assistance to Fifth District residents. This program provides hands- on support for iPhones, Androids, tablets, and laptops, and the team has already facilitated 1,881 one-on-one interactions. I am proud to share that 100 percent of participants reported they would recommend this service to their friends and family. This is especially meaningful because 83 percent of those we assisted were residents aged 65 and over. Since many of our seniors may find difficulty using modern technology, I intentionally directed my staff to focus on them to ensure they receive the patient, personalized guidance needed to navigate today's digital world with confidence. If you live in District 5 and think your community could benefit from our Tech on Wheels program, contact my senior issues liaison, David Lara-Tellez at DLTellez@rivco.org or (951) 379-2854. DON'T PANIC … BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE

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