Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, Recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards Recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island real estate board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca. 

The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced here and through fields so wid. With dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day's an adventure under the open sky In their world of stories, time just flies by. 

Peter McCully: Peter was seven years old, with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled when he smiled. His very best friend in the whole wide world was Gracie, a fluffy white American Eskimo dog with a tail that never stopped wagging.

Gracie had been Peter's companion since she was just a tiny puppy. And now they did everything together. One sunny Tuesday morning, Peter's teacher, Ms. Rodriguez, taught the class about earthquakes. She explained how the ground could suddenly shake and how important it was to be prepared. Being ready for an earthquake is like packing for a camping trip, Ms.

Rodriguez said. You need to have special supplies ready in case you can't go to the store for a few days. Peter's eyes grew wide. He raised his hand. What happens if we don't have supplies? Well, Miss Rodriguez replied, it might be difficult to find clean water, food, or even bandages if someone gets hurt.

That's why every family should have an earthquake kit ready. All day at school, Peter couldn't stop thinking about earthquakes. What if one happened while he was playing with Gracie in the backyard? What if it happened at night, when everyone was sleeping? By the time the school bus dropped him off at home, Peter had made his mind up.

Mom, he called, bursting through the front door. We need to make an earthquake kit right away! Gracie came bounding down the hallway, her white fur bouncing with each excited leap. She circled Peter's legs, giving his hand a quick lick, before sitting attentively, her dark eyes watching him with adoration.

Peter's mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. An earthquake kit? What brought this on? Ms. Rodriguez taught us about earthquakes today, Peter said. She said every family needs a kit with important things in it. Can we make one? Please? Mom smiled. That's an excellent idea, Peter.

We've been meaning to put one together. Why don't you and Gracie help me? We can start this weekend. Peter shook his head firmly. We can't wait until the weekend, Mom. What if an earthquake happens tonight? Peter's mom said, You're right. Being prepared is important. Let's start today. I'll find a container, and you can help me gather the supplies.

Peter pumped his fist in the air. Yes! Come on, Gracie. We've got an important mission. Gracie barked happily, her tail wagging even faster as if she understood every word. Peter's mom brought a large red plastic container from the garage and set it on the kitchen table. This will be perfect for our earthquake kit, she said.

Now let's make a list of what we need. Peter grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. Gracie sat beside him, her head tilted curiously, as Peter wrote EARTHQUAKE KIT in big letters at the top of the page. First she said, we need water. One gallon per person, per day, for at least three days. Oh, what about Gracie, Peter said.

She needs water, too. Absolutely. Gracie is part of our family. We'll include water for her as well. Peter beamed and gave Gracie a pat on the head. You hear that, girl? We won't forget about you. Gracie responded with an enthusiastic bark as if saying, Thank you for including me. Together they went through the pantry and counted out six large bottles of water.

Peter carefully placed them into the red container with Gracie watching closely. What's next? Peter asked. Pencil poised over his list. Non perishable food, mom replied. That means food that won't go bad quickly and doesn't need to be refrigerated. Peter thought for a moment. Like canned soup that we have for lunch sometimes?

Exactly. And granola bars, peanut butter, crackers, canned fruit. Peter and Gracie followed Peter's mom around the kitchen collecting canned beans, tuna. Chicken soup, applesauce, and a jar of peanut butter. Peter also grabbed a box of his favorite crackers and some granola bars. Don't forget food for Gracie, Peter reminded his mom.

She can't eat crackers. You're absolutely right, she said. She reached into the pantry and pulled out several cans of dog food and a bag of Gracie's favorite treats. These should last at least three days. Gracie's ears perked up at the sight of the treats and she let out an excited little whine. Not now, silly girl Peter laughed, giving her a scratch behind the ears.

These are for emergencies only. Next, they added a manual can opener, plastic utensils, paper plates, and napkins to their growing collection of supplies. What else do we need, Mom? Peter asked, carefully writing each item on his list. A first aid kit is very important, she said. She brought out a small white box with a red cross on it from the bathroom cabinet.

This is bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, and other medical supplies. Peter peered inside the first aid kit with interest. What if someone really gets hurt? Well, that's why we also need to include any necessary medications our family takes regularly, she said, and a list of emergency contacts, including doctor's phone number.

As they continued gathering supplies, Gracie stayed close to Peter, occasionally nudging his hand with her cold nose. Or bringing him items that had fallen on the floor. Although she couldn't understand exactly what they were doing, she seemed to sense that it was important. Flashlights and extra batteries, Peter's mom read from her phone, where she was looking at an emergency preparedness checklist, in case the power goes out.

Peter ran to the drawer where they kept the flashlights. He found two and carefully tested each one. This one works great, but this one is dim. We need new batteries. Mom added batteries to the shopping list for the next day. Good checking, Peter. Always test your emergency supplies regularly. They also added a battery powered radio, a whistle to signal for help, dust masks, plastic sheeting, and duct tape.

Peter was fascinated by each new item asking questions about how they would use them in an emergency. The radio will let us hear important announcements, Mom said. And the whistle is much louder than shouting, if we need to call for help. Gracie sniffed at the whistle cautiously, and then backed away when Peter blew it.

Sorry, Gracie, Peter said, noticing how that sharp sound hurt her sensitive ears. I'll use this only in an emergency. As the afternoon went on, their earthquake kit got bigger. They added warm blankets. Changes of clothes, shoes, and even a pair of Peter's favorite books and a deck of cards. Why do we need games?

Peter asked, puzzled. Because waiting for an emergency can be boring and scary, Mom said. Having something fun to do helps everyone feel better, especially children. Peter nodded thoughtfully. He reached for Gracie's favorite stuffed squirrel toy and placed it in the kit. Gracie might get scared too. She should have something to make her feel better.

Gracie wagged her tail appreciatively looking from Peter to her toy and then back again. Peter's mom smiled at her son's thoughtfulness. That's very considerate, Peter. In an emergency, it's important to think about everyone's needs, including our pets. They also prepared a folder with important documents.

Copies of identification cards, insurance information, and a list of important phone numbers. Peter's mom explained that if they had to leave home quickly, having those documents would be very helpful. What about pictures of our family, Peter asked. If something happens to our house, I'd want to save those.

That's a wonderful idea, Peter's mom said. She helped Peter select a few special family photos to add to their document folder. As the sun began to set, they surveyed their nearly complete earthquake kit. The red container was filled with essential supplies, and beside it sat a smaller blue backpack that she called a go bag.

The go bag is if we need to leave the house quickly, she said. It has a small amount of everything we might need just for a day or two. Peter nodded seriously, like if we have to evacuate. He had learned that word at school today. Exactly, she said. The go bag should always be in an easy to reach place.

Peter looked down at Gracie, who was sitting patiently beside him. What about Gracie's leash and carrier? She might get scared and run away during an earthquake. You're thinking of everything, Peter's mom said. Yes, we should keep Gracie's leash, carrier, and some extra food in an accessible place. They found Gracie's collapsible carrier and placed it near the earthquake supplies, along with a spare leash.

A small bag of food and portable water bowl. Gracie sniffed at her carrier curiously and then looked up at Peter as if to say, Are we going somewhere? Not today girl, Peter reassured her patting her soft head, but we'll be ready if we need to. Just then Peter's father arrived home from work. He stood in the kitchen doorway, surprised by the collection of supplies covering the table and floor.

What's happening here, he asked. We made an earthquake kit, Peter announced proudly. Me and Mom and Gracie worked on it all afternoon. Peter's dad examined the work, nodding approvingly. This is excellent preparation. I'm impressed you thought of this, Peter. Ms. Rodriguez taught us about it at school, Peter explained.

She said, it's super important to be prepared. And she's absolutely right, Dad said. And you know what else is important? Having a family emergency plan. Peter looked puzzled. What's an emergency plan? It's when we decide ahead of time what we'll do in an emergency. Like where we'll meet if we're not all together when an earthquake happens.

The family sat down at the kitchen table with Gracie settling at Peter's feet and worked on the emergency plan. They chose a meeting spot near the home and another location farther away in case they couldn't return to their neighborhood. They also picked a relative who lived somewhere else to be their emergency contact.

If we get separated and can't call each other directly, we'll all call Aunt Susan in Kelowna, Peter's mom explained. She can help us relay messages to find each other. Peter practiced reciting Aunt Susan's phone number until he had it memorized. Gracie watched him attentively, her ears perking up each time he spoke.

What about a practice drill, Peter's dad suggested. That's what we do at my office. Yes, Peter exclaimed excitedly, like a fire drill at school. Mom agreed. Let's practice what to do during an earthquake. Remember the safety rule, cover and hold on. Peter demonstrated immediately, dropping to his knees, crawling under the kitchen table, and holding onto its leg.

Gracie, not wanting to be left out, quickly joined him under the table, pressing her warm body against his side. Perfect, Dan praised, and Gracie seems to know what to do, too. They practiced their earthquake drill several times, with Gracie following Peter each time, and they practiced quickly grabbing their go bags and meeting at their designated spot in the front yard.

By the time they finished, it was already past Peter's usual bedtime, but he didn't feel tired at all. He was too proud of what they had accomplished. We did it, Gracie, he whispered to his furry friend as they headed upstairs for bed. Now we're ready for anything. As Peter brushed his teeth, he could hear his parents discussing their earthquake preparations downstairs.

I'm proud of them for taking this so seriously, his mom was saying. Many adults don't even think about emergency preparedness. He's a responsible kid, his dad said, and I think it made him feel empowered knowing we're prepared. Peter smiled at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He did feel empowered, knowing that their family, including Gracie, had taken steps to stay safe.

Later, tucked in bed with Gracie curled up at his feet, Peter thought about everything they had learned and prepared that day. It felt good to know they had a plan and supplies ready for an emergency. Even though earthquakes were scary, being prepared made them less frightening. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, Peter felt a gentle rumbling.

His eyes flew open. Was it an earthquake? His heart began to race until he realized the vibration was just Gracie, snoring softly at the foot of his bed. Peter giggled quietly and closed his eyes again. Good night, Gracie, he whispered. If a real earthquake ever comes, we'll be ready together. The next morning, Peter couldn't wait to tell Ms.

Rodriguez about his family's earthquake kit. He carefully packed his handwritten list in his backpack, along with a drawing he had made of Gracie, helping with the preparations. Mom, he asked over breakfast, can we check our earthquake kit every month to make sure everything still works and nothing has expired?

That's an excellent idea. Maybe we can mark it on the calendar. The first Saturday of each month can be Emergency Preparedness Day. Peter nodded enthusiastically. And Gracie can help us check everything. As if understanding her name, Gracie barked happily and wagged her tail. At school that day, Peter proudly shared his family's earthquake preparations with Ms.

Rodriguez and his classmates. He explained how they had included supplies for Gracie and practiced their emergency drills together. That's wonderful, Peter, Ms. Rodriguez said. You've shown great responsibility by helping your family get prepared. And you've reminded us all that we need to include our pets in our emergency plans, too.

Several of Peter's classmates asked questions about making their own earthquake kits, and Ms. Rodriguez suggested they all work on a classroom emergency plan together. As Peter participated in the classroom discussion, he felt a warm glow of pride. He and Gracie had helped make their family safer, and now they were helping their friends, too.

Being prepared wasn't just about having supplies, it was about knowing what to do and feeling confident that you could handle an emergency together. That afternoon, when the school bus dropped him off at home, Gracie was waiting by the window as always. She rushed to the door, greeting Peter with excited barks and a wagging tail.

Guess what, Gracie? Peter said, kneeling down to hug his fluffy friend. Ms. Rodriguez told the whole class about our earthquake kit, and now everyone wants to make one too. We're earthquake heroes! Gracie licked Peter's face, her tail wagging even faster, as if she understood every word. Together they walked past the red container and blue backpack.

Now neatly stored in the hallway closet. Peter felt a sense of accomplishment every time he saw them. He and Gracie had learned an important lesson. Being prepared didn't mean being afraid, it meant being ready to face challenges every day together as a family. And no matter what happened, earthquake or no earthquake, Peter knew that he and Gracie would always be a team, ready for any adventure that came their way.

The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced here and through fields so wid. With dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day's an adventure under the open sky In their world of stories, time just flies by. 

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, Recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards Recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island real estate board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca.