Agenda – January 15, 2013:
Preparedness: A Call To Arms.
The Greenwood Preparedness Action Network wants YOU!
The Greenwood Community Council will be hosting a “call to arms” on January 15, 2013 for those interested in participating in a Greenwood Preparedness Action Network to spread
individual, block, & neighborhood
Emergency/Crime Preparedness throughout Greenwood.
What can be done?
Preparedness has several levels, none of which is a replacement for another, and each takes work.
Your Neighborhood — (when at your residence or business).
Your Block — (when at your residence or business).
Yourself — (when at your residence and when traveling).
Many neighborhoods in Seattle have advanced noticeably farther than Greenwood regarding preparedness.
Many neighborhoods have networked their blocks via block captains.
Some of the blocks had been “block watch” blocks, others had been “SNAP” preparedness blocks… Regardless, they were blocks that had organized themselves to some extent.
These block captains convened to map the status of the neighborhood’s blocks, creating a network of communication between the organized block captains and identifying the unorganized blocks as a result. This exercise has resulted in more blocks getting organized (prepared).
These networks have also taken on the task of aiding preparedness at the individual level and preparedness at the neighborhood level and have established hubs, which aid the dispersal of information and such in a big emergency.
This is “Emergency/Crime Preparedness“.
Both “emergency” and “crime” are addressed together here under the umbrella of
“Emergency/Crime Preparedness” or
“Preparedness”.
Preparedness is being ready for emerging situations. These situations can range from the arrival of a criminal to the simultaneous arrival of a blizzard and an earthquake.
Modifying a wall to reduce its chance of collapse during an earthquake and modifying a door to reduce its chance of collapse during an attempted break-in are similar and acts of individual preparedness.
Informing your neighbor of your whereabouts in the event of a suspicious noise and informing your neighbor of your whereabouts in the event of a suspicious smoke are similar and acts of block preparedness.
The team is, wants, and needs, YOU.
On a unified team, there are many ways to participate. There is a task to match any interest…
but driving this task forward will take many drivers.
If too few drivers come forward,
then instead of asking them to each make an unreasonable effort,
the reasonable thing will be to abandon the effort.
SO,
while many like the idea of the neighborhood being prepared,
the question at hand is,
how many are willing to help drive?
There are a great many examples for Greenwood to borrow from, but nothing happens without effort.
The aim of the 15 January meeting is to either launch the program or to declare that there is not the critical mass to do it. It will be very clear that volunteering is contingent on there being critical mass. No one will be asked to carry an unreasonable load.
It can now be Greenwood’s turn.
Ready to take unified action?
See you…
(Tuesday) January 15, 2013 @ 7pm. (3rd Tuesday)
@ 8016 Greenwood Avenue N (Greenwood Public Library).
[Additional details to be provided via this webpage as the date approaches.]
NOTE:
Greenwood Community Council general meetings occur on the 3rd Tuesday of odd numbered months.
For more information, contact any board member listed @ http://www.GreenwoodCommunityCouncil.org
