Lynnwood taking steps to prepare for a disaster

Published 8:07 pm Tuesday, March 22, 2016

LYNNWOOD — The city of Lynnwood has launched a year-long campaign to become more prepared for disasters.

About 300 people attended a March 15 public meeting focused on earthquakes and other disasters and south Snohomish County. The meeting was held at Edmonds Community College and hosted by the city and Fire District 1.

Storms, power outages and emergencies have “been on people’s minds lately,” city spokeswoman Julie Moore said.

Police and firefighters train regularly for the unknown, but individual households might need a head start, she said. The idea is to get people talking to their families and neighbors about potential plans.

“We’re trying to figure out how to inspire people to take action to do what they need to do,” Moore said.

People who attended the earthquake meeting were asked to make a home disaster kit and join “Map Your Neighborhood,” an online emergency management resource organized by the state.

Four more community meetings are scheduled in April with an emphasis on Map Your Neighborhood. In addition, there is a regional effort to recruit more people into Community Emergency Response Team classes, which teach emergency skills.

Emergency preparedness is a top priority for the City Council this year, Mayor Nicola Smith said. They talk about the lessons learned from each storm, and how to improve the city’s response, she said.

“This is the kick-off year of getting as many people as possible ready for any type of emergency,” she said. “We’re really excited to get out there and do it.”

It’s also important for people to talk about who they should check on after a disaster, a power outage or even a cold spell, Fire Chief Scott Cockrum said. A major emergency can overwhelm local resources, and it might take days for federal teams to arrive after a quake. Seniors in particular might need extra help from family, friends and neighbors, he said.

The city also plans to host a safety fair this fall. Those details still are coming together.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.

Meetings

Disaster preparedness meetings are planned throughout south Snohomish County next month. Each will run about 90 minutes and online registration is requested. They are scheduled for April 6 in Lynnwood (bit.ly/MYNALynnwood), April 13 in Edmonds (bit.ly/MYNAEdmonds), April 20 in Mountlake Terrace (bit.ly/MYNAMLT), and April 27 in south Everett (bit.ly/MYNASEverett).

In addition, a Community Emergency Response Team training class will be offered in south county starting April 4. It runs on evenings twice a week for four weeks. More information can be found at bit.ly/SpringCERT.

For more information about events specific to Lynnwood, call 425-670-5023. For other cities, check with your local fire department.