It was only by a fickle twist of atmospheric fate that last month’s “bomb cyclone” missed our island by only several miles.

Throughout most of King and Snohomish counties, 75 mph winds blew down large trees, which crashed into homes (killing two), fell onto vehicles and power lines, and blocked emergency vehicles and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) crews, greatly slowing their progress.

At the height of November’s storm, more than 650,000 homes and businesses were without power. Five days later, thousands still remained without electricity. Cleaning up will take weeks and restoration of what’s left could take many months. The devastation is staggering, and the event will go down in history as one the most destructive storms to hit western Washington in modern memory.

Yet the damage from November’s storm left Vashon nearly unscathed! I despair of even considering what might have happened if the island had been caught in the tempest. When you consider that PSE’s crews were stretched to the maximum by the devastation on the mainland, how would islanders have coped?

One thing is certain: It is difficult for any of us to know how to respond in an emergency without good information.

Fortunately, Vashon has a dependable source of accurate information in our Emergency Alert System operated by Voice of Vashon (VoV), an island nonprofit organization. Night and day, at any time of year, these volunteers are always standing by to relay reliable, local information and advice on how best to respond and remain safe during a crisis.

It was not by coincidence that we have an emergency alert service. Although an avid group of islanders had attempted to acquire a license for a community radio station since 1999, it was not until after the 2006 “Hanukkah Eve” storm (which required 11 days to fully restore power) that a community-wide meeting was held to discuss how islanders could better prepare for such catastrophes.

It was there that the idea of developing a local radio station to keep islanders informed first emerged. Thus began the bid for Voice of Vashon’s first radio license, 1650AM — a travelers’ information, or “TI” station, that broadcasts current road conditions and other local information.

Island-wide emergencies are, thankfully, a rare occurrence. But the Emergency Alert team continuously monitors weather forecasts along with King County’s Water-Taxi and Metro bus services, as well as WA State Ferries for delays, while Puget Sound Energy keeps them informed of any power outages.

When storm forecasts or delays occur, the team writes and records a radio script for the 1650-AM emergency radio broadcasts, sends an email to each of their 3,500+ Emergency Alerts subscriber list and posts the event on VoV’s website and Facebook page.

Volunteers are on-call on a rotating basis. As it is for any emergency responder, most of the time there is very little work to be done. But they must remain ready at all times, for when a situation unfolds, it becomes “all hands on deck!”

Such an important community public-safety service depends almost entirely on community support. And community support depends on individuals recognizing that safety in numbers is in our own best interest.

To remain functioning at a high level, VoV requires volunteers, equipment and funding: money to pay for rent, power, equipment, services and repairs. Some, such as Vashon’s Windemere Real Estate, have always known this, and have provided underwriting support since the early days of the emergency alert service. VoV also has a service agreement with Vashon Island Fire & Rescue. And while these relationships help keep the Emergency Alert Service functioning, it requires additional members of our community to step forward for the team to operate effectively.

There are two ways for you to support Voice of Vashon: by making an annual or monthly donation to the station, or by volunteering to join the Alert Team. Right now, VoV needs 3-5 additional volunteers. You’ll receive training and all the assistance you’ll need, and you’ll feel the personal reward of knowing that you are helping to keep your community safe. Visit voiceofvashon.org for more info.

Art Chippendale is a longtime community member who lives on Vashon with his wife, Tania Kinnear. He is active in community organizations.