Both the Storey County community and first responders hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday where they discussed a recent wildfire evacuation drill.Â
During the town hall meeting, homeowners and residents could ask questions and give feedback, as well as hear from emergency team members about plans for future drills.Â
Emergency Management Director Adam Wilson says that these drills are crucial due to the unique topography of Storey County.
"This is one of the highest rated areas in the nation for wildfire threat, is the Virginia City Highlands," he said.
Because of this, practicing what to do in an emergency is crucial, not only for firefighters and other first responders, but for the community as well.Â
The town hall also allowed members of the community to express concerns.
We spoke with Damian Plumb, a local resident who voiced his concerns about the area and being at risk of wildfires,
"Preventative maintenance is another very big thing," he said. "You know, how many trees are on your property? How close are the trees to your house? You know, how many old, abandoned vehicles you have, stuff like that that's really important."
Some other topics the community brought up during the town hall were the possibility of future exercises like this one.
"As long as I'm the emergency manager, the community can expect continuous efforts from responders to be prepared for many scenarios," said Adam Wilson
He says the biggest thing with being prepared is staying informed, something that residents can do by not only attending town halls like the one hosted on Thursday, but signing up for emergency alerts and using communication to stay connected.Â
