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Neighborhood Network

The Burlingame Neighborhood Network program encourages citizens to work cooperatively in neighborhood teams to prepare for disasters. In the process of getting better acquainted, neighbors are inspired to plan other events such as block parties and holiday get-togethers. Their sense of community fosters a“Neighborhood Watch” awareness that helps prevent crime.

Background

The first Neighborhood Network group was established in 2006 in the Poppy Drive area of Burlingame. After an initial meeting, the group selected seven block captains to figure out how to prepare the neighborhood for potential disasters. Their specified task was how to prepare people to be self-sufficient during the first five days – or longer – before organized emergency teams might be able to assist them. They worked closely with the fire chief and disaster preparedness personnel to enhance the city and county emergency readiness programs already in place.

The first step was to ask each family to fill out a questionnaire listing contact information, skills useful during emergencies and supplies the family would make available to others during a disaster. The information was gathered into two directories. One contains information that families approved for distribution to other neighbors. This public directory was printed with contributions of $5 per family. The other directory includes private details that neighbors approved only for use by block captains and safety personnel during disasters. Block captains had to sign legal statements affirming that they would only use the information for that purpose. Both directories are only available as hard copies; they are not distributed via email, due to privacy concerns.

The Poppy Drive Neighborhood Network has initiated a number of other projects:

• Each family receives occasional e-newsletters; those without Internet access receive printed copies.
• Each family receives monthly “Keys to Survival” tips, distributed electronically and in printed form, that invite them to do one thing to become better prepared for disasters. Each family has a folder in which to file the sheets.
• An emergency preparedness presentation by the city’s emergency coordinators was held September 27, 2007.
• The city offered “R U Ready?” emergency preparedness seminars in November 2007 and January 2008.
• All neighbors have been encouraged to sign up for the SMC Alert network to receive safety advisories via their computers, cell phones and other devices that receive email.
• They have been urged to sign up for Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) training through a city/county consortium.
• Neighbors have also been invited to sign up for the city’s e-newsletter, which publicizes city events and local issues

Benefits

The Neighborhood Network has helped neighbors become better prepared for emergencies. Some have updated emergency kits and agreed upon family meeting places during disasters. One woman moved her family’s kit to a more accessible location.

Block captains have access to detailed private information that they will share with safety personnel only during disasters:

• Whom to contact in case of a disaster
• Residents who need special assistance due to age or a disability
• Skills that residents can offer during an emergency, such as medical or emergency training
• Equipment that residents have offered to make available during emergencies

Residents have become more aware of who belongs in their neighborhood. A burglary at one house inspired them to start a neighborhood e-newsletter to alert one another about safety concerns. Neighbors have called police about suspicious strangers and door-to-door salespeople.

Neighbors now greet one another by name on the street and have participated in social events, including:

• A block party with a bicycle parade for children, volleyball, basketball, old-fashioned sack races and other games
• A holiday party with hot chocolate, caroling and a mountain of snow to play in
• Election coffees to compare notes about candidates and issues
• A summertime “Poppy Drive Camp” in which several families took turns taking children on excursions

The Neighborhood Network has fostered a sense of community that benefits everyone and, in particular, some residents living on their own. One elderly widow expressed great relief at knowing her neighbors will help look after her in the event of a disaster. This community spirit – or social capital – is the fabric that makes societies stronger and able to withstand emergencies. It also makes it more fun to live on the street.

Future Plans

In coming months, the Poppy Drive Neighborhood Network will continue to emphasize emergency training by inviting neighbors to sign up for CERT training, First Aid and CPR courses. Families will continue to receive monthly emergency preparedness handouts and be invited to social events. It is our hope that residents who feel better connected with one another and their city will become more involved in community events and volunteer projects.

The pilot Poppy Drive project has proven so successful that we would like to invite other neighborhoods to start their own Neighborhood Networks. For more information on how to start a group, please visit http://www.TheNeighborhoodNetwork.org or contact Ray Marshall at Ray.Marshall@yahoo.com, (650) 344-2486; or Terry Nagel of the Burlingame City Council at terry@terrynagel.com, (650) 347-3576.