> CERN > Neighbor to Neighbor - N2N
Neighbor to Neighbor
Preparing for
emergencies and developing a disaster plan for
individuals, families and neighborhoods will
enable each of us to manage, as best as
possible, the next disaster. By preparing and
planning in advance, each person's ability to
cope is enhanced, family members are able to
communicate their emergency plans with loved
ones and family members, and neighbors
network to compile a shared directory to
dictate alternatives for managing the effects
of any unexpected natural disaster or threat.
There are practical steps you as an individual can take that emphasize plans for yourself, your family and your neighborhood to take if instructed by local authorities to shelter-in-place. Being able to sustain yourself, your family and neighborhood, for up to five days, is the goal of Neighbor-to-Neighbor.
Organize a Neighborhood Network
Proximity: If a storm leaves you confined to your neighborhood, those living closest are those on whom you will need to rely.
Resources: Who can you share your resources with? Whether it's a snow blower, child care, medical training or just a sympathetic ear, how can your neighbors pool your resources in an emergency?
Needs: Are there people in your neighborhood who have needs that you could help meet:
- Wheelchair users
- Young Children
- Elderly
Remember you can continue to grow: the bigger your network, the greater your resources will be.
Decide, Download and Distribute
Examples on where to meet:
- Neighbor's
Home
- Neighborhood picnic
- Dessert and coffee gathering
- Bus stop
Download the forms you need to get started:
These include the:
- Sample
Invitation Letter (use as-is or write your
own)
- Fact sheets on
Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) and Howard
County's Community Emergency Response Network
(CERN)
You can include these in your Sample Invitation Letter or they can be given out at your meeting. - Neighbor
Information Form
This is an inventory of your neighbors' skill sets and needs - information that will be necessary pre-disaster and post-disaster. - Family
Communications Card
This is an essential component of planning. Your family unit will most likely not be together when a disaster strikes. Having this contact information in hand reassures family members this piece of planning has taken place. Complete this information with family cell phone numbers and work numbers.
Distribute (by hand, or electronically) prior to your neighborhood meeting.
Discuss and Develop
Be sure to develop a directory of your network that includes:
- Contact Information
- Needs
- Resources
Keep a hard copy of your directory available: don't be foiled by a power outage!