Bend business offers free natural disaster preparedness course

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In this wildfire season, it's important to learn and practice preventative measures to improve the odds of staying safe and secure if disaster strikes.

LifeExec is a Bend business focused on helping people prepare for various life circumstances through different courses. One of the courses they offer is dedicated to natural disaster preparedness.

Due to the wildfires affecting the area, the team at LifeExec is offering a free digital 25-minute natural disaster preparedness course that can help the public to take extra precautions when it comes to safety.

The course includes checklists for evacuation and to shelter in place, along with many helpful tips.

Marketing Director Abby McCubbin said Thursday the unique quality about the course is that much of the information provided may not be common knowledge to the public.

"We have interviewed a lot of first responders and wildfire firefighters here in Bend," she said.

She said many people don't know to do certain things and provided one example: "Turn off your pilot light and AC, because the fumes can come inside your house and create a fire there."

The course also helps people create a family plan so that in case electricity goes out, families won't need to panic, because they have a solid plan of what to do and where to go.

McCubbin said the overarching purpose of the course is all about "making sure you have all of the education you need to stay safe in any event."

McCubbin added that the courses LifeExec offers are usually $129, but with the wildfires going on right now, the company's greater mission is to help people protect what matters most.