Neighborhood Disaster Preparation
Your neighbors don’t want to commit to the 6 week CERT course? We have a great opportunity for them without the long term class commitment.
“Map Your Neighborhood” is a program designed to help neighborhoods prepare for disasters. LuAnn Johnson Ph.D. at the Washington State Emergency Management Division developed this program in association with FEMA. This three hour course can be brought to your neighborhood and taught in one of the neighbors homes!
A single disaster causes many individual emergencies at one time. Unfortunately, the police or fire department may not be able to respond to your call for help as quickly as you need them to. Professional emergency response to your situation may be delayed for hours, even days. Out of necessity you and your neighbors become the first responders to your emergencies.
Neighbors that are prepared are more effective in their response to a disaster and have an increased capacity to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after a disaster.
“Map Your Neighborhood” will enable your neighbors to
- Learn the 9 steps to take immediately following a disaster to secure their home and to protect their neighborhood.
- Create a neighborhood map identifying each home and gas shutoff locations
- Create a contact list that helps identify those with special needs and homes with young children home alone after school.
- Identify the skills and equipment each neighbor has that would be useful in effective disaster response.
- Work together as a team to evaluate the neighborhood immediately following a disaster and to take the necessary actions to safeguard neighbors and property.
Remember, neighbors are ALMOST ALWAYS our most immediate source of help around the home.
For training in your neighborhood, contact:
Gordon Doughty at (925) 383-6609 or (vicechair@pleasanthillcert.org)