Connect With Your Neighbors

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Map Your Neighborhood

In a disaster, your neighbors are your most immediate source of help. Traditional 9-1-1 responders (police, fire, medical, and utility) are quickly overwhelmed by demand. Knowing what to do in the first hour ("the golden hour") of a disaster response may save a life, reduce the severity of injuries, and reduce the amount of damage that you, your loved ones and your neighbors sustain.

The Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) program is a strategy that empowers neighborhoods to prepare for emergencies and disaster situations. The program helps save lives, reduces the severity of injuries and trauma, and reduces property damage.

In addition, working together as a team and contributing as an individual develops stronger communities and improves the quality of life in the community.

Contact us to connect with your neighborhood group. If there isn’t one, we’ll provide you the tools and the know-how to start one!

The Program's Goal

To prepare neighborhoods (15-20 homes in urban areas, 6-7 in rural areas) to be self-reliant during the first hours of a disaster response when traditional 9-1-1 responders are overwhelmed by demand.

As an MYN Participant, You Will:

1

Learn the 9 Steps (see below!) to take immediately following a disaster to secure your home and protect your neighborhood

2

Identify the skills and equipment each neighbor has that are useful in an effective disaster response

3

Create a Neighborhood Map showing the locations of each propane tank and the neighbors who may need help in a disaster

4

Pick locations for a Neighborhood Gathering Site and Neighborhood Care Center in your area

The 9 Steps You Should Take Immediately Following a Disaster

Take care of your loved ones.

Protect your head, feet and hands.

Check your home's propane levels.

Shut off your home's main water.

Place a "HELP" or "OK" sign on your front door or window.

Place your fire extinguisher at the front of you house.

Go to the Neighborhood Gathering Site.

Form teams to listen to the radio;

check on elderly, disabled and children; check propane; check homes with HELP cards and those with no card.

Return to Neighborhood Gathering Site to share what has been done.

Upcoming Training

Methow Ready is available to bring Map Your Neighborhood training to your community. Contact us to schedule a training.

Custom training available!

Contact information for training:

Email: info@methowready.org

Tel: 509-449-0069

Please leave us the following information:

- Your name / name of attendees

- Your phone number

- Your physical address

- The Methow Valley neighborhood/area where you live

The History of MYN

Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) was developed by Dr. LuAn Johnson, first in Sunnyvale, CA and then in Seattle, WA. The program was implemented statewide by the State of Washington’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) in 2006. This award-winning program has proven its effectiveness. During the Nisqually (Seattle) Earthquake on February 28, 2001, 92% of 460 organized neighborhoods effectively responded utilizing the 9-Step Neighborhood Disaster Response Plan. More than 50 counties and cities in Washington State are in various stages of implementing MYN. States which have adopted MYN include Alaska, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Kansas, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

For additional information, visit the State of Washington Emergency Management website.