Stay safe, play preparedness games, and plan for events
Published 5:14 pm Thursday, September 18, 2025
Be Safe Be Seen
Dark clothing may look great, but drivers have a difficult time seeing people in dark clothing along our roads. A few simple steps can improve visibility and help keep you and your kids safe.
Enhanced visibility is especially important during dusk and darkness, but even during daylight hours it helps drivers see you. Check out some ways of being safer when walking or cycling around Vashon. Safe Walking • Wear bright, reflective clothing. Use a headlamp or flashlight at night.
• Stay alert! Avoid cell phone use and wearing earbuds.
• Walk on sidewalks or facing oncoming traffic, if no sidewalks are available.
• Cross only at intersections and crosswalks, and only after making eye contact with drivers.
• Don’t assume drivers will always stop for crosswalks or traffic lights.
• Visit tinyurl.com/kidsafewalking for additional safe walking tips from SafeKidsWashington.
Safe Cycling
• Wear a well-fitting bicycle helmet that complies with U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards. Replace a bicycle helmet that is damaged or has been involved in a crash.
• Wear bright, reflective clothing. Help your bike stand out with bright white headlights, red tail lights, and reflectors on spokes for side visibility
• Keep your bike in good working order. Check the brakes!
• Slow down and leave more following distance. Bicycles as well as cars need more reaction time when it’s wet or icy. Riding at moderate speed gives you more time to avoid potholes and debris.
• Check out tinyurl.com/safebicycling for additional tips from the League of American Bicyclists.
Cohousing Preparedness Games
Last week, Vashon Cohousing residents held their annual retreat, this time with a focus on emergency preparedness.
To help make it fun and interactive for all ages, VashonBePrepared brought some games. Before residents even showed up for breakfast at the common house, they were invited to play treasure hunt from a picture-list of useful go-bag items.
Among the comfort items folks brought were some inspiring choices: art supplies, a flute and a gallbladder-shaped pillow. And one very young resident brought her pet fish!
After the treasure hunt, participants formed teams to review an earthquake scenario and brainstorm ideas for what to do after the ground stops shaking. The biggest hit was the Wheel! Of! Misfortune!
Players spun the wheel to land on one of twelve possible disasters, then answered a question and won a prize. Players got a useful prize to put in their go bag or household cache.
Prizes included flashlights, solar lanterns, and canned food. You too can play Wheel! Of! Misfortune! with VashonBePrepared volunteers and win preparedness prizes at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s open house at the main Bank Rd station on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Mark your Calendars for Upcoming Events
Vaccination Clinics: Tuesday, September 30: High-volume, volunteer-assisted vaccination clinics start at Vashon Pharmacy. Pharmacy staff and Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers will administer COVID, flu, and RSV vaccinations with the assistance of VashonBePrepared and Vashon Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers. Make your appointment online now at vashonpharmacy.com VashonBePrepared is once again working with Vashon Pharmacy to help pay for vaccinations for those who don’t have insurance coverage and can’t afford the shots. You can help by donating at VashonBePrepared.org/helpout and selecting ”Vaccines for Uninsured.” Vashon Pharmacy will generously match the first $2,500 donated.
School vaccination clinics for COVID and flu will be held at Vashon Island School District on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and Thursday, Oct. 16. Announcements with details are forthcoming. All school-age children on Vashon are welcome.
Fire Station Open House: On Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Vashon Island Fire and Rescue will host their popular open house at the Bank Road station. Bring the kids for the bouncy house and face-painting, enjoy hot dogs and snacks, check out the new Mobile Integrated Health exam room, watch a Tesla extrication demo, see the Airlift Northwest helicopter land, and more.
VashonBePrepared volunteers will be there with the Wheel! Of! Misfortune! and prizes.
Wellness and Screening Event: On Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vashon Health Care District will offer a free screening and wellness event at JG Commons, at 17300 96th Place SW. All are welcome.
International Shakeout Day: This event happens on Thursday, Oct. 16, so register now for International Shakeout Day at shakeout.org. Earthquake drills will take place throughout the region at 10:16 a.m. local time. Build muscle memory by practicing what you’ll do the next time the ground shakes: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Get under a sturdy table or desk and hold on tight to a table leg.
If Oct. 16 doesn’t work for you, you can practice the drill on another day.
