If a pipeline emergency happened tomorrow, would you know what to do?

Would you know there was an emergency? Who would notify you? Would you know whether to evacuate or shelter in place? Where would you go? Who would you call?

And what happens to elders, people without transportation, families with children, people with disabilities, rural residents without reliable cell service, or households that never receive an emergency alert?

7 Directions of Service invites residents living in communities near pipeline infrastructure in North Carolina and Virginia to join us for a Community Pipeline Safety & Emergency Preparedness Meeting.

This will be an interactive community meeting focused on one important question:

If a pipeline emergency happened in our community tomorrow, would our people know what was happening, who to call, where to go, and what to do?

During the meeting, we will talk about how pipeline emergencies are detected and communicated, what residents should know during an emergency, and what responsibilities pipeline operators and local emergency officials have for keeping communities informed and prepared.

We will work together to:

• Learn how pipeline leaks, ruptures, and other emergencies may be detected and reported.

• Discuss how residents are supposed to receive emergency notifications.

• Walk through a hypothetical pipeline emergency scenario.

• Identify gaps in local emergency preparedness and public information.

• Discuss the needs of elders, children, people with disabilities, households without transportation, and other vulnerable community members.

• Identify questions residents want answered by pipeline operators and emergency officials.

• Develop community recommendations for improving emergency preparedness and communication.

You do not need to be a pipeline expert to participate.

We especially want to hear from the people who live, work, worship, farm, raise families, and care for their communities near pipeline infrastructure.

Your experiences and questions matter.

The information gathered during this meeting will help develop a set of community questions and recommendations that can be shared with pipeline operators, emergency management officials, first responders, elected officials, and appropriate pipeline safety regulators.

Come prepared to ask:

How will I know if something happens?

Who is responsible for warning my community?

Where am I supposed to go?

What happens if I don't receive an emergency alert?

What is the plan for elders and people who cannot evacuate themselves?

Who do we hold accountable for making sure our communities are prepared?

Pipeline safety isn't only about infrastructure. It's about whether the people living alongside that infrastructure have the information and resources they need to protect themselves and their families.

Join us September 30 and ask yourself an important question: Are we prepared?

Hosted by 7 Directions of Service (7DS).