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CREATING THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FAIR & OUTCOME

Over the course of the summer of 2010, the Methow Valley Community Preparedness Committee (CPC) undertook a local campaign on neighborhood preparedness. The purpose was to educate the community on the need to prepare for a short term disaster, and to identify Neighborhood Leaders who could be trained to organize their own neighborhoods using Emergency Management’s “Map Your Neighborhood” flip chart and guide. The outcome of this effort includes completion of the following:

Organizing

• Formation of a working committee of local and county first responders and volunteers including:

- Okanogan County Emergency Management
- Fire District #6
- Department of Natural Resources
- Aero Methow Rescue Service
- Twisp and Winthrop Police Departments
- The LDS Church
- The American Red Cross, North Cascade’s Chapter
- Methow Valley Ranger District
- CPC volunteers

• The convening of 5 organizing meetings from 6.16 – 8.20 prior to the Neighborhood Preparedness Fair & BBQ held on Saturday, August 21st.
  
• The purpose of the Fair was to educate people about the potential disasters we face in the Methow and how to prepare for them.
• We also wanted to encourage people to sign up to become “Neighborhood Leaders” and get the proper training to organize their own neighborhoods using Washington Emergency Management’s “Map Your Neighborhood” flip chart and guide.
• Preparations included identifying booths, organizing presenters, meeting with neighborhood, government, and community organizations, advertising, and the creation of a map of the Methow Valley with the designation of 64 neighborhoods from Lost River to Gold Creek. (Click here for list of neighborhoods and the overall map of the Methow Valley).
  
• The Fair included 14 booths inside the Methow Valley Community Center gym. (Click here for map of fair layout).
  
• It also included a display of emergency vehicles, kids’ activities, food, and entertainment in the Twisp Commons Park adjacent to the community center (click here for map of fair activities in the commons park).
  
• Focus of the Fair was the “Mapping” booth where people could identify their own neighborhood and sign up to become a “Neighborhood Leader.”

Fundraising

The total budget for the Fair & BBQ was $640 with $650 funds raised. (Click here for budget and funders.)

Door Prizes

12 door prizes were donated to be given away by ticket drawing after the 10 a.m. and noon presentations at the Fair. (Click here for prize and donation inventory.)

Promotion

• Advertisements for the Fair included the creation of 1000 4 x 6 cards passed out at community events (click here for front and back card promos.)
• A presence at the Twisp 4th of July Parade with an accompanying article and photo in the Methow Valley News: see http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=3857
• Outreach events to the following groups:

- Twisp Grange (7.7.10).
- Winthrop Kiwanis (7.13).
- Twisp Town Council (7.13)
- Winthrop Town Council (7.21)
- Twisp Chamber of Commerce (7.22).
- Okanogan Economic Alliance (7.28)
- Methow Valley Eagles (7.28)
- The Cove, the local food bank (7.29).
- Methow Valley Neighborhood Associations (8.2).
- Methow Valley Faith Roundtable Members (8.5).

• Creation of advertising poster with distribution of 30 copies posted valley-wide (click here for poster).
• Passage of Resolution # 2010 – 21 by the Winthrop Town Council, and Resolution #10-474 by the Twisp Town Council officially declaring September “Meet Your Neighbor” month encouraging back yard parties and BBQ's to support use of the “Map Your Neighborhood” emergency preparedness flip chart and guide (see text of resolution in "My Turn," Methow Valley News, below.)
• Editorial in the August 11th issue of Methow Valley News on the importance of Neighborhood Preparedness signed by Don Waller of Fire District #6 and Scott Miller of Okanogan County Emergency Preparedness (click here for editorial).
• Press Release (click here for copy) distributed to:

- Wenatchee World
- Methow Valley News
- KOZI Radio
- KVLR
- KTRT

• “My Turn” column by Winthrop Mayor David Acheson, and Twisp Mayor, Bill Boosman, declaring September “Meet Your Neighbor” month, encouraging neighborhood emergency preparedness printed in the August 18th issue of Methow Valley News (click here for a copy.)
• Article in August 12th issue of Wenatchee World at http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/aug/12/event-prepares-for-fires-floods-storms/?print .
• Radio interviews on KOZI and KVLR
  
• Article in August 18th issue of Methow Valley News "Neighbors to Gather at Preparedness Fair" http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=4115
• Write-up on Neighborhood Preparedness Fair and how to become a Neighborhood Leader in Sally Gracie’s Methow Valley News Column at http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=4162
  
• Kristi Laguzza-Boosman’s letter to the editor, also in the 8.25 issue of MVN, thanking all first responders, reminding people how to sign up to become Neighborhood Leaders, and asking for volunteers to raise funds to purchase a back-up generator for an emergency shelter in Twisp. (Click here for a copy of letter).
  

First Responder Presentation

• Scott Miller of Okanogan County Emergency Management presented a Power Point Presentation describing the natural disasters faced in the Methow including wildland fires, extreme weather conditions, extended power outages, and floods. (Click here to see the Power Point presentation.)
• Ten First Responders and one local citizen made short presentations on what their organization’s responsibilities would be in an emergency and what local citizens should be prepared to do. Presenters included:

- Don Waller, Chief, Fire District #6
- Keith Comstock, Twisp Fire Department
- Sheriff, Frank Rogers, Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office
- Ty Sheehan, Sergeant, Twisp Police Department
- Scott Miller, Okanogan County Emergency Manager
- Tom Smith, Aero Methow Rescue Service
- Keith VanBroeke, Methow Valley Ranger District
- Sheron Sheldon, Executive Director, American Red Cross, North Cascades Branch
- Sergeant Pat Stevens, 911 Dispatch, Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office
- Hans Smith, local citizen, Twisp, WA

Sign-ups

• More than 30 people signed up to become “Neighborhood Leaders” and take the training offered by Okanogan County Emergency Management on implementing the “Map Your Neighborhood” flip chart and guide in their own communities.
• An additional 30 people signed up to receive more information on when their neighborhood organizes.
• More people are expected to sign up for both as our follow-up continues.

Training

• Two training sessions were held, with a follow-up in October.
• Neighborhood Leaders and other residents received training on how to use Washington Emergency Management’s “Map Your Neighborhood” flip chart and guide.
• Training was accomplished with the aid of a Power Point Presentation.
• Another useful tool which was distributed is the "Neighborhood Organization Toolkit," a pdf file (open with Adobe Reader.)

Acknowledgements

Many personal thanks have been received by members of CPC for our organizing efforts around emergency preparedness, including a letter of thanks from Okanogan County Sheriff, Frank Rogers, and Okanogan County Emergency Manager, Scott Miller. (Click here for letter.)

Follow-up

Follow-up includes a meeting with Okanogan Emergency Management to ensure proper passing of information and Neighborhood Leader signup lists, and discussion on organizing neighborhood leaders into an ongoing emergency preparedness committee to continue the work CPC has started.

For more information contact info@mvcommunitypreparedness.org