How to Prepare Your Neighborhood for a Major Emergency

Community support will be very important if a major emergency disrupts basic services.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Generators

Contact Your Neighbors

1. Your community may already have an existing organization, such as a neighborhood watch or a homeowners' association. Check to see if it has made any preparations.
2. Organize a meeting with the other households in your neighborhood.
3. You may want to have a speaker give a presentation on emergency topics to get everyone familiar with the the potential situations that may arise.
4. Discuss possible scenarios and ways the community can prepare. Topics may include food and water storage, first aid, household preparedness and fire safety.
5. Conduct a resource and skills inventory. Is anyone medically trained? Is anyone a contractor or engineer?
6. Check if there are any members of your community who have special needs or would be especially harmed by a power failure. Establish plans to help them if needed.

Prepare for Specific Problems

7. It is important to help people within their households before they become involved in the community effort. Encourage and assist people in preparing their households.
8. Buy supplies in bulk and share the goods and expenses with a large group.
9. Buy a large item with several people that would be beneficial to the neighborhood, such as a generator.
10. Make plans on how to deal with waste if sewage and water are disrupted - especially a latrine.
11. You may want to consider shared or community gardens, weather permitting.
12. Several members of the group may want to invest in a communications system that is an alternative to the telephone. The system can be as simple as a bulletin board or more sophisticated with walkie-talkies or ham radios.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no need to be alarmist. Emphasize that this is just a way for members of the community to help each other.
• Organizations and groups can sign up for EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) classes at reduced rates. Contact the local fire department or emergency services department for more information.