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.”