Sun City Anthem prepares for emergencies

Sun City Anthem's community association will present its first Security and Emergency Preparedness Expo for residents from 9 a.m. to noon next Saturday at the Anthem Center within Del Webb's age-qualified community in Henderson.

Participating exhibitors and vendors will include Henderson's police and fire departments, area utility companies, and the American Red Cross.

"We're hoping this turns into an annual event," said Bob Berman, association board member and founder of the community's Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Being prepared is the primary goal of the committee, which aims to provide facilities, equipment, supplies and communications to ensure the health and welfare of residents within the community during an emergency.

Berman and Elaine Berg, committee chairman, hope to recruit 600 volunteers to serve on the committee and accommodate the projected 7,000 households within the community. To date, 430 people have volunteered.

One hundred of the volunteers have attended the Community Emergency Response Team training taught by the Las Vegas Fire Department at Henderson's Fire Training Center. Another class begins this month.

It focuses on myriad aspects of disaster planning and response, and has been recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for communities nationwide. Topics include communication, first aid, first response triage, fire hazards and prevention, search and rescue, and methods of transporting victims.

"Homeland Security's prime directive is that a community be capable to survive from three to five days on their own without any external resources, such as water, electricity, fire or police departments," Berman said.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee is one of many organizations and clubs at the community. It will be housed within the Community Services Center at the new 33,000-square-foot recreation center under construction. The center is set for completion in the second quarter of 2005 and will complement the community's existing 77,363-square-foot Anthem Center.

Twelve single-story designs ranging from 1,496 to 3,175 square feet are available. Homes are priced from the high $370,000s to the low $660,000s.

To visit, take Eastern Avenue south, two miles past St. Rose Parkway, turn left on Anthem Parkway and then turn right on Alexandria Drive. Models are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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