Denver’s emergency office held its second-annual DenverREADY Preparedness Fair on Saturday at the Montbello Recreation Center, an exercise aimed at helping local communities prepare amidst the backdrop of increasing frequency of natural disasters. 

Natural disasters in Colorado have jumped up over 275% over the last 20 years. There have been 45 natural disasters in the state between 2002 and 2021, according to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.

There were only 12 between 1982 and 2001.

The Denver Office of Emergency Management gave away 1,100 backpacks filled with emergency, such as water, food rations and flashlights. The supplies are designed to help get individuals stuck at home through 72 hours. Hundreds of locals lined up for the event, with queues stretching through the entire center. 

Community partners, such as the Denver Police, American Red Cross and FEMA Region 8, also participated and provided information. 

Getting started is the most important tip for emergency preparation, according to Mikayla Ortega, marketing communications manager for the Denver Office of Emergency Management.

“Being prepared doesn’t happen over night,” Ortega said. “Every time you go to the grocery store, add something to your go-bag… Denver is very large and if something were to happen, it would take a while to get to every single resident. So, you should have what you need for at least 72 hours.”

Ortega also pointed to free monthly classes provided by emergency office on the city’s website. These frequent courses cover various emergency-survival topics.

Denver Police urged residence to practice crime prevention measures, such as locking up cars and sheltering in place when events happen. Crime can increase during emergencies, so it’s important to always think about safety, District 5 Lieutenant Joe Unser said.

He warned, for example, against driving through a flooded area. If someone attempts to drive through a downpour and gets stuck, it diverts resources and responders from others in need of help, he said. 

“We encourage people to utilize that common sense and — when those weather events happen — wait for notifications from the city to make sure you’re doing the best thing for everyone involved,” he said.

Unser said more detailed information on how to prepare and react to emergencies can be found on the city’s website. 

“A prepared community is a resilient community,” Ortega added.