Event to focus on emergency readiness
by KIMBERLY M. KARCHER Clarence Editor

Eastern Hills Mall, First Niagara Bank and the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter have come together to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the October storm with an event that will make you leave your home and "Storm the Mall."

(See editorial on page four)

The emergency preparedness event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6at the mall, 4545 Transit Road, near Main Street.

Judith A. Rucki, director of communications for the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter said the Red Cross, the mall and First Niagara are reminding families of the importance of being prepared in case of an emergency.

Rucki said the event will have a special focus on children and educating them on what to do if a disastrous situation occurs.

"The point of the event is to teach children how to prepare for emergency situations," Rucki said. "They will learn things like how to recognize when a storm is coming, making sure their family has a safety plan if their house catches on fire and who to call in the event of emergencies."

The day include activities, entertainment and prizes for the entire family.

According to mall officials, participants of "Storm the Mall" will start at the American Red Cross booth in front of Bon-Ton. Each child will receive a "Preparedness Passport," along with a list of the daily events and mall merchant discounts.

Participants can visit each exhibit, take part in the activities, have their "passport" stamped and return to the First Niagara booth in front of Sears to receive a prize. The grand prize is a $1,000 savings bond from First Niagara Bank.

"We are really looking forward to this event," said Megan Wagner, marketing manager of Eastern Hills Mall. "There are going to be so many fun and educational things to do on Saturday, and the entire event is free for all community members. It will be a great day to come to the mall and learn about how to be ready in case of an emergency."

Wagner said the event has created excitement among mall vendors and merchants.

"Many of our mall merchants are going to be having special sales and discounts," Wagner said. "Even our vendors in the food court will have certain items for discounted prices."

According to both Rucki and Wagner, this event is the first of its kind in the area .

"We are really hoping we can make it an annual event," Rucki said. "It's a fun day at the mall, but it has a serious purpose."

Along with the preparedness passport village, there will also be informational safety demonstrations for both children and adults throughout the day. Several emergency response vehicles will be on display outside the mall as well.

"This is truly a family event," Wagner said. "There will be something going on for everyone to enjoy, but at the same time we will be helping our neighbors be ready and be aware of what to do should we have another storm like last year."

Rucki said its important to remind community members of the importance of preparedness - a lesson learned the hard way for many western New Yorkers last October.

"Many people bought generators after the storm, but they have never hooked them up," Rucki said. "We want to encourage people to update their safety plans. The whole idea is prevention. At least you can know what to do and how to stay safe."

For further information visit www.shopeasternhills.com or contact Eastern Hills Mall at 633-1600 or contact the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter at 878-2230.

Editor's note: Reporter Andrea Kimbriel contributed to this article.