2025:

• Launch new VashonBePrepared website

2024:

• ACS created four fully-stocked portable communications caches (PCCs) to provide flexible communications resources that can be utilized anywhere on the island.
• ACS provided a communications class for the CERT team.
• ACS participated in the annual amateur radio field day in June.
• ACS presented to the EOC for their September drill, to demonstrate email over ham radio.

• Twenty volunteers attended the basic CERT course, involving nine Saturdays for six hours each. Fifteen volunteers completed the course and joined the active CERT team.
• For the first time, CERT had a float in the Strawberry Festival parade, featuring 21 CERT team members.
• 25 CERT members practiced addressing and assessment routes in August.
  CERT’s September training featured search and rescue (SAR) training for 15 CERT team members.
• A collaboration between CERT, EOC, VIFR improved records and processes for the state Registered Emergency Worker (REW) program that provides liability protection for volunteers.

• The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team’s monthly drill nights featured training and planning for future activations. Challenges included flexing to the Land Trust building while Station 55 is being remodeled.
• Fall mass vaccination clinics included volunteers from MRC, EOC, and CERT, in collaboration with Vashon Pharmacy and Vashon Island School District. On 24 days over 6 weeks, 37 volunteers for worked 390 hours to deliver over 4,800 COVID and flu vaccines to community members.
• The team launched a new emergency severe-weather sheltering project, in collaboration with Vashon United Methodist Church, Vashon Food Bank, and Vashon Youth and Family Services. Eleven volunteers completed the Red Cross/FEMA shelter training. 
• The Marine Emergency Response Team (MERT) improved amateur radio reception with a new taller antenna on Quartermaster Yacht Club’s flagpole. Three MERT officers updated navigation aids. MERT collaborated with CERT to test radio reception between their boats and the radio room at VIFR.
• MRC team members trained on using their supply trailers and performing key medical procedures.
• Members attended the National MRC Summit in Chicago, where they presented on developing training exercises in a small MRC.
• Seven licensed members provided health screenings for 47 patients at Vashon Health Fair.
• MRC made their annual medications update, with help from Vashon Pharmacy and from 2023’s $10,000 Tier One Operation Readiness Award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) 
• MRC team members delivered Psychological First Aid training for 33 disaster volunteers from the various groups.
• For the third year in a row, Vashon MRC received a Tier One Operation Readiness Award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) This $5,000 grant was specified for replacement of expired equipment and medications.
• The MRC’s Community Care Team (CCT) made strides in preparations for setting up a Family Assistance Center, to help people after a disaster.
• Neighborhood NERO meetings were held throughout the year.
• A talk on household preparedness was given at Vashon Senior Center in August
• VashonBePrepared volunteers participated in the October VIFR open house
• VashonBePrepared’s 162^nd newsletter was published in December, printed in Vashon Beachcomber, and published on the website and social media, reaching about 3,500 households with preparedness and public health information, including Prepare in a Year.
• Islanders for Ferry Action (IFA) held a fundraiser, with VashonBePrepared as their fiscal sponsor; IFA saw great success with King County Water Taxi adding midday trips, and collaborations with other ferry-dependent communities and their legislative representatives.
• VashonBePrepared was represented in meetings of the Vashon Social Services Network and participated in planning for the 2025 Vashon Climate Summit with representatives from WA Emergency Management Division and Washington State University.

See previous accomplishments