Preparing Your Neighborhood for Y2K

We propose that the best way to prepare for Y2K is through
"neighborhood-based community preparation". It does you little good
to be the only home in the neighborhood that is ready for Y2K,
particularly if your unprepared neighbors noticed you stocking up on
supplies. But if your whole neighborhood is prepared, you have real
strength. Plus, your neighborhood can lobby city and county
governments to make sure they're ready. And those governments can
assist your already organized neighborhood more easily than they can
individual homes.

Neighbors can discuss sharing tools, planting a neighborhood garden,
and ensuring food and water supplies. If there are elderly and
disabled in your area, plan who will look after them, and how, should
any sort of emergency occur. To plan for possible school closures,
consider a central meeting point where children can gather under
adult supervision for the duration of the closures. If there's a ham
radio operator in your area, talk to them about their role in an
emergency, and how neighbors might help. Neighborhoods might want
to make sure that they are adquately protected during any possible
civil disorders. Those neighborhoods who have a "Neighborhood
Watch" program are already somewhat prepared.

Once your neighborhood starts to get organized, contact other
neighborhoods and work with them to lobby elected officials,
government agencies, public utilities and the like to make sure
they're doing everything they can to prepare for Y2K.

Action Steps
1.Hold a neighborhood meeting and schedule regular meetings
thereafter. Make at least every second or third meeting a social
event as well as a planning one, so that people really get a chance to
know each other. Be sure to include teenagers and older children who
wish to get involved.

2.Make and distribute a list of everyone's name, address, phone
number and email address.

3.Identify the elderly, disabled and others needing special care and
attention.

4.Create a Skills Inventory for members of your neighborhood
(medical, first aid, alternative healing, midwifery, ham radio,
teaching, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, computer, gardening,
cooking, canning, etc.)

5.Create a Resources Inventory of "things" owned by people in the
neighborhood that they are willing to share. Wells and other water
sources, well drilling equipment, garden tools, firewood, barbeques,
generators, fuel, chain saws, radio amateur and CB radios -- anything
that could be used by, or provide service to, more than one family.

6.Plan individual and neighborhood gardens, (here are some tips from
the very successful Seattle P-Patch program). Be ready to plant in
Spring 1999.

7.Make contingency plans for sanitation (camping toilets,
porta-potties, outhouses, composting toilets)

8.Make contingency plans for childcare and neighborhood schooling.

9.Discuss having a neighborhood "shelter" that would have light,
heat, water, sanitation facilities and food for any members of the
neighborhood who might need it.

10.Try to get everyone in the neighborhood actively involved
(recognizing that some may think that Y2K preparation is
unnecessary). For those who are concerned, make sure they have
worthwhile tasks to do. They'll feel more involved, and emotionally
and mentally prepared, if they're actually doing something. Panic
will hit those who feel helpless, not those who are actively
preparing.

11.Lobby your city and county governments to make sure they do all
they can to prepare for Y2K. Remind them that it's not just a question
of their own computer systems. They have a responsibility to assure
that all essential services are functioning, including food
distribution, water, sanitation, power, telephone, hospitals, police
and fire services.