2023 Emergency Expo returning to Menard Sports Center Saturday

WASILLA — The 15th Annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo takes place Saturday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Menard Sports Center.

This free event is possible thanks to the partnership between groups and organizations such as the Mat Su Borough Emergency Services, Alaska Safe Riders, AARP Alaska, and the American Red Cross Alaska Chapter.

“This expo really is a great opportunity,” event co-founder Debra McGhan said.

The expo will feature over 70 new and returning booths with emergency preparedness, response, and recovery agencies and organizations offering information, demonstrations, activities, and interactive displays both inside and outside the Menard Center. There will also be several food trucks onsite. A LifeMed helicopter is also expected to land in the parking lot (weather and availability permitting).

“It should be a really interesting event this year," McGhan said. “You can talk to people about what you shouldn't do and what you can do… Nothing can replace that human interaction. We bring it all together for you in one location.”

McGhan said that she was thankful that so many different agencies band together each year to make this event happen.

“It wouldn't happen without that,” McGhan said.

The first 200 visitors will receive emergency preparedness kits and everyone who attends will have the opportunity to receive a variety of free items throughout the event.

McGhan said that this event has evolved a lot since its inception 15 years ago. She said it didn’t take long to outgrow its original venue at the Mat-Su College, and she’s thrilled to see more and more community members getting involved each year.

“I'm grateful to see that it has grown and there's a lot more people who are embracing this,” McGhan said.

McGhan said that September is National Emergency Preparedness Month which aligns perfectly with the annual preparedness expo. She said the event is a great annual reminder for people to think about ways they can better prepare for any kind of unexpected emergency.

“Our goal is to see it keep going," McGhan said. “We want people to be prepared. That's our biggest goal. We just want our community to be resilient," McGhan said. “It's not just a one and done… It’s something you have to revisit. You have to be on top of it.”

For more information, visit business.wasillachamber.org/events/details/15th-annual-mat-su-emergency-preparedness-expo-20424?calendarMonth=2023-09-01.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com