Learning to handle disasters

Newport Beach residents learned basic first-aid techniques and grabbed freebies like small emergency kits Saturday at the city’s first Disaster Preparedness Expo.

The event took place at the Central Library in honor of National Preparedness Month.

“I hope this event will just make the community aware of what we have available to them,” said Newport Beach Fire Chief Steve Lewis. “Maybe some of the people here will realize ‘hey, I might not be prepared.’”

The event was staffed by about 40 volunteers from Newport’s Community Emergency Response Team.

The program trains volunteers to be emergency responders in the event of a disaster.

“We wanted to make this a one-stop shop for disaster preparedness,” said Matt Brisbois, disaster preparedness coordinator for the Newport Beach Fire Department.

Participants milled around booths, where they could buy dehydrated meals that can be prepared without heat or electricity, or a portable defibrillator.

Volunteers also demonstrated basic first-aid techniques, such as the proper way to take off latex gloves that might be covered in blood.

The Newport Beach Fire Department also handed out small emergency kits containing a small packet of drinking water, a light stick, an emergency whistle and first-aid supplies like bandages and latex gloves.

“We hope that people will leave here just a little more prepared,” said Katie Eing, Newport’s emergency services coordinator.