self / neighborS PREPARation
Get Prepared Now!
If you find it difficult to set aside time to prepare for emergencies, you’re not alone. Public surveys list “lack of time” as the primary reason people cite for not taking steps to prepare themselves and their families for a major emergency.
Rather than viewing emergency preparedness as an insurmountable task, consider what you could accomplish in just 5 minutes.
Below is links to our Get Prepared Now!, or the Take 5 to Survive, and the Map Your Neighborhood programs. Make it a team effort and involve your family. Once you meet your goal, congratulations to you and celebrate for being prepared for emergencies ahead!
Rather than viewing emergency preparedness as an insurmountable task, consider what you could accomplish in just 5 minutes.
Below is links to our Get Prepared Now!, or the Take 5 to Survive, and the Map Your Neighborhood programs. Make it a team effort and involve your family. Once you meet your goal, congratulations to you and celebrate for being prepared for emergencies ahead!
Get Prepared Now!
Preparing Your Neighbors (PYN) view this presentation: "How to win friends and survive a disaster: 9 Steps to neighborhood preparedness" click this link Download files and presentation (the first includes the presentation with speaker notes) TAKE 5 TO SURVIVE A website featuring a list of quick and easy projects to help families prepare for the emergencies that lie ahead. Link to: Emergency Management Cooperative (EMC) of Washington County https://www.Take5toSurvive.com Here in the Pacific Northwest, we face a number of hazards which could impact our daily lives. By learning about disasters, making plans with friends and families, and gathering supplies, you lessen the impact these emergencies may have on you, your family, and your home. When thinking about emergency preparedness, it is easy to become quickly overwhelmed. There is so much to learn and so much to do, it can seem impossible. There are a variety of reasons you may not be able to prepare for emergencies – lack of time, lack of money, or not knowing where to begin. Take 5 to Survive is designed to help you overcome those barriers so you can feel more confident about emergency preparedness. |
The Emergency Management Cooperative (EMC) of Washington County is committed to the development and maintenance of a countywide, integrated system to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against disasters. The EMC members include Washington County, the cities of Beaverton, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, North Plains, Sherwood, Tigard, and Tualatin, Clean Water Services, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.
In addition to local governments and special service districts, the EMC provides assistance to local businesses, schools, social service agencies, church groups, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, and youth groups.
The EMC takes a proactive approach to enhancing government preparedness and educating the public. Since government's ability to respond may be limited during disasters, individuals and families need to be prepared to manage on their own for up to two weeks. EMCWC Disaster Prepare
In addition to local governments and special service districts, the EMC provides assistance to local businesses, schools, social service agencies, church groups, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, and youth groups.
The EMC takes a proactive approach to enhancing government preparedness and educating the public. Since government's ability to respond may be limited during disasters, individuals and families need to be prepared to manage on their own for up to two weeks. EMCWC Disaster Prepare
Map Your Neighborhood Program
- Remember -
In a disaster your most immediate source of help are the neighbors living around you.
During major disasters, it is common for emergency personnel to be overwhelmed by a number of concurrent calls for service. As a result, it is imperative that each household take proactive steps to be prepared in the event of a major disaster.
Craig Fugate, FEMA Director commented that there needs to be something to “fill the gap” between individual preparedness and CERT (Community Emergence Response Team)
Map Your Neighborhood is that program and has a proven track record.
The program was first utilized during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in Sunnyvale, California.
During the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, 92% of 460 organized neighborhoods in Seattle reported responding in a timely and organized manner to the needs of their neighbors.
Forty-four (44) states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico have expressed interest in MYN - finding it to be a cost effective and time efficient approach to neighborhood preparedness.
England, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Canada have also inquired about MYN for possible implementation in their area.
The Map Your Neighborhood Program (MYN) was developed and copyrighted © by LuAn K Johnson, PhD. Used with permission from Washington State Emergency Management Public Education Program.
https://mil.wa.gov/map-your-neighborhood
Prepare
Neighborhoods that are prepared for emergencies and disaster situations:
- save lives,
- reduce the severity of injuries and trauma, and
- reduce property damage.
In addition, contributing as an individual and working together as a team helps develop stronger communities and improve the quality of life in the community.
Map Your Neighborhood Program
Designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level
(generally neighborhoods = 15-20 urban homes; 5-7 in rural areas and can be implemented in condos and apartment complexes).
Teaches neighbors to rely on each other before fire, medical, police, or utility responders arrive.
Takes just one person to begin this process by inviting the neighborhood to his or her home
(a 90-minute meeting, facilitated by the program DVD).
Building and Strengthening Disaster Readiness Among Neighbors
Statistics show that 70% of all survivors of disasters are rescued by other survivors. The neighbors living around you are your most immediate source of help. Disasters will, strike at any time of the day or night and the reality is that emergency responders will not be available to everyone and may not able to reach you for several days following a major disaster. It may be up to you to save the life of another or you may depend on your neighbors to rescue you or your loved ones. We are vulnerable to a variety of potential risks and it is not “if” but “when”. . . .
Map Your Neighborhood‘s goal is to provide a step by step process to help neighborhoods be better prepared for disasters and know what do afterwards, starting first with evaluating their family and home.
Neighbors must be prepared to work together to respond to a variety of challenging situations. Knowing what to do in the first hour (Golden Hour) of a disaster response may save a life or reduce the amount of damage sustained. This includes organizing teams to address immediate needs (injuries, fire, communication, etc.) with turning off gas meters and water valves to putting out small fires and attending to injuries.
From the first hour to the days or weeks following a catastrophic event, prepared individuals with their neighbors are, after a disaster, better able to be self-sufficient to survive and recover quicker.
In a disaster your most immediate source of help are the neighbors living around you.
During major disasters, it is common for emergency personnel to be overwhelmed by a number of concurrent calls for service. As a result, it is imperative that each household take proactive steps to be prepared in the event of a major disaster.
Craig Fugate, FEMA Director commented that there needs to be something to “fill the gap” between individual preparedness and CERT (Community Emergence Response Team)
Map Your Neighborhood is that program and has a proven track record.
The program was first utilized during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in Sunnyvale, California.
During the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, 92% of 460 organized neighborhoods in Seattle reported responding in a timely and organized manner to the needs of their neighbors.
Forty-four (44) states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico have expressed interest in MYN - finding it to be a cost effective and time efficient approach to neighborhood preparedness.
England, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Canada have also inquired about MYN for possible implementation in their area.
The Map Your Neighborhood Program (MYN) was developed and copyrighted © by LuAn K Johnson, PhD. Used with permission from Washington State Emergency Management Public Education Program.
https://mil.wa.gov/map-your-neighborhood
Prepare
Neighborhoods that are prepared for emergencies and disaster situations:
- save lives,
- reduce the severity of injuries and trauma, and
- reduce property damage.
In addition, contributing as an individual and working together as a team helps develop stronger communities and improve the quality of life in the community.
Map Your Neighborhood Program
Designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level
(generally neighborhoods = 15-20 urban homes; 5-7 in rural areas and can be implemented in condos and apartment complexes).
Teaches neighbors to rely on each other before fire, medical, police, or utility responders arrive.
Takes just one person to begin this process by inviting the neighborhood to his or her home
(a 90-minute meeting, facilitated by the program DVD).
Building and Strengthening Disaster Readiness Among Neighbors
Statistics show that 70% of all survivors of disasters are rescued by other survivors. The neighbors living around you are your most immediate source of help. Disasters will, strike at any time of the day or night and the reality is that emergency responders will not be available to everyone and may not able to reach you for several days following a major disaster. It may be up to you to save the life of another or you may depend on your neighbors to rescue you or your loved ones. We are vulnerable to a variety of potential risks and it is not “if” but “when”. . . .
Map Your Neighborhood‘s goal is to provide a step by step process to help neighborhoods be better prepared for disasters and know what do afterwards, starting first with evaluating their family and home.
Neighbors must be prepared to work together to respond to a variety of challenging situations. Knowing what to do in the first hour (Golden Hour) of a disaster response may save a life or reduce the amount of damage sustained. This includes organizing teams to address immediate needs (injuries, fire, communication, etc.) with turning off gas meters and water valves to putting out small fires and attending to injuries.
From the first hour to the days or weeks following a catastrophic event, prepared individuals with their neighbors are, after a disaster, better able to be self-sufficient to survive and recover quicker.
Tips and Added Information for MYN
Drop, Cover, and Hold On has been shown to be the best method to protect yourself during an earthquake event. We (neighbors) are the responders in an emergency and/or disaster event. Typically, studies show that people do not panic nor think rationally. Our own safety is our number one goal. Protect yourself. Think Safety First! Know where your gas line is at your home and what are the three reasons to shut it off is. Know where your water shut off valve is inside your home to preserve the water heater’s water. Have and maintain fire extinguisher(s) and how to use - P.A.S.S. Decide on your Neighborhood Gathering Site and the Care Center. Neighbors Skills and Knowledge - First Aid, Child Care, etc. Equipment, Tools and Experience - Radios, chain saws, generators, etc. Identify households who may need Extra Help - elderly, disabilities, children, etc. Four (4) Teams Working in teams of two (2) and staying together and in sight of each other. One (1) records/documents. 1. Radio - AM/FM radio and/or a NOAA Weather Radio 2. Checks on homes that need Extra Help 3. Checks on natural gas or propane tanks 4. Checks for Help or no sign homes (provide First Aid) T R A I N I N G
L I N K S / R E S O U R C E S Suggested Additional Training: First Aid/Triage Size Up and Situational Assessment Search and Rescue Techniques Fire Safety and Suppression - P.A.S.S. Hazardous Material and Terrorist Incidents Incident Command System/Structure (ICS) Psychology Reporting and Documentation Hand-held Radio Usage CERT (Community Emergence Response Team) Amateur Radio Operators (HAMs) Licensed requirement Additional Information
(Search for these on this website or online) Take 5 To Survive Living on Shaky Ground Training Video Mapping materials ICS Guidelines OCEM.org Drop, Cover, and Hold On Basic Search and Rescue Utility Shutoff Directions Fire Extinguisher Use - P.A.S.S. Ready.gov FEMA.gov Disaster Preparedness Emergency Survival Program Disaster Survival Guide EarthquakeCountry.org |
Side Notes:
Few are born leaders and your MYN Block Captain may change as time goes by. Building trust and accepting differences between neighbors for a higher cause and purpose may take as much as a year or two. This could go fast or start out slow and take multiple meetings in the beginning, due to many reasons. People move at different speeds and the faster ones might inspire others to pick up their pace. Getting everyone on the same page will also take time. It may not be from you, but another neighbor, someone that they know better or already trust. Recognize for some, sharing may not be easy; either with personal privacy and/or belongings. Some people will leave the neighborhood. New people will move in. There will always be change. For the disabled, or elderly, or the single parent, etc., someone else may nee to help them get the things they need to be prepared and/or organized, or ???. A helping hand may be needed . . . . Map Your Neighborhood is a worthwhile effort. If anything, it helps neighbors get to know each other. Plan. Prepare. Practice. Repeat. Being organized, lessens chaos and increases everyone’s ability to return to normalcy faster. MYN is a proven system and works because human nature is to team up and collaborate together to help others. Some will want to have guns or join preppers or come up with other types of arrangements. MYN simply works! Having and using FRS radios helps in communications and checking in on teams or additional requests. Requests may be for additional teams, or Fire suppression, or Medical assistance, or Other, etc. Ability to put out small fires only. Large fires require apparatus and equipment that will not be available. Stay out of harms way. Do not endanger yourself or others. Safety first! Have the walking wounded come out and away from their home if it is too damaged for responders to enter or for them to stay inside. (Examples: the home’s roof has fallen in or the house is leaning over). Also, subsequent earthquakes or high winds could increase the damage and destruction. Safety first! FYI - Safety in numbers:To Care for Each Other When Disaster Strikes Group solidarity is more prevalent than selfishness as groups of people are more likely to help each other than hinder. “In emergencies, the norm is cooperation.” Selfish behavior is very mild and tends to be policed by the crowd rather than spreading. This is “collective resilience. Resources and Links: (From Washington State)
MYN Supporting Materials
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