It's time to meet the neighbors
By Hollie Stark
Outreach Program Manager
Who is my neighbor? What makes a community? And what does any of that have to do with emergency preparedness?
I have a confession to make. I don’t know my neighbor’s names. I used to. But, as apartment tenants tend to do, the former neighbors left and new ones have moved in. We didn’t even say goodbye to each other. I do know that the neighbors one flight of stairs above me have an adorable German shepherd who loves attention – and I am happy to oblige – but I am not sure I could describe in any great detail the human at the other end of the leash.
It is not exactly the type of person I imagined I would be when, as a little girl, I would routinely watch Fred Rogers slip into a comfy cardigan and greet his television audience with a comforting “hello, neighbor.”
Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Rogers’ friendly neighborhood message never left me. In fact, as the outreach program manager for the Washington Emergency Management Division, I carry that message with me wherever I go.
A huge part of the work I do is traveling to various communities to speak to people all about how to prepare themselves and their communities for the myriad hazards that can – and most likely will – affect Washington state. And do you know some of the things I always ask and say?
“Do you know your neighbors?” “Are you prepared to help them during and after a disaster?” And my personal favorite: “We are more resilient if we work together.”
I’ve said it all over the state. And I meant it every time. I just somehow forgot to start at home with my own neighbors.
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.
Neighbors will likely be each other’s first responders! Neighbors that are prepared are more effective in their response to a disaster and have an increased capacity to be self-sufficient as well as help each other.
And, really, that starts by introducing yourself to your neighbors. What are their names? What do they do? And, of course, tell them who you are, what you do.
In Seattle, there’s neighborhood hubs that are built to specifically help entire neighborhoods prepare. Other neighborhoods around the state utilize Community Emergency Response Team programs to actually train with each other on things like fire safety and light search and rescue.
And we know there are neighbors that utilize our Prepare in a Year guide, working all year to complete one activity a month to figure out their needs together.
But it all starts by talking to each other first. I think it is safe to say that the gap between what makes us different and what makes us the same, what qualifies some of us as neighbors and some, well, not, feels bigger than it ever has. But I’d like to think it doesn’t have to be that way.
When the next big earthquake or even extended neighborhood power outage occurs, I’d like to think I would share a warm blanket, food, water and a comforting smile with my neighbors and the only thing I would ask them is what else can I do? And I’d also like to think that by then I would know their names. Because community preparedness really does start with getting to know your neighbor.
And now I think I will go bake some cookies and make enough to share.
More on Neighborhood Preparedness.