disaster preparedness – Mt. Washington Jessica Neighborhood

10 Oct

2026 MWJN DISASTER DRILL – 10/18/26

Our yearly Disaster Drill will be held on Sunday October 18, with block activities running from 2pm – 4pm including a debrief at 5 Points with pizza. Clean up and wrap will conclude by 5pm. We have conducted Map Your Neighborhood training in more than 25 MYN Blocks to promote “neighbor helping neighbor” response in a widespread disaster.

In the 10/18/26 Drill,

At 2:00 PM, DROP – COVER – HOLD ON!
Then do what you learned from the Map Your Neighborhood program:
At 2:02 PM, Check on loved ones, dress for safety, check your house, turn on 2-way radio
At 2:10 wear protective gear, take search supplies, place fire extinguisher in front of house,
post OK sign, go to Block Gathering Site
At 2:20 at Gathering Site, choose leader, form BASE and Search TEAMs, set up & check
radios
At 2:30 the search TEAMs leave the Gathering Sites to find and address incidents, using
radios
At about 3:00 the Teams should have completed their search and returned to BASE and report
results, and discuss how we can improve future Drills, or in a real disaster. If there is time,
update a master copy of the MYN Contacts and Skills/Equipment lists
At about 3:30 all Blocks’ members can gather at Five Points for debriefing, information, and
refreshments
At about 4:00 PM the event will end – return to your Blocks
Cleanup at 5 Points and in Blocks should be completed by 5PM.

Everyone should bring their walkie talkies and MYN booklets, and a pen or pencil if they have them. If you need any of these check with your block leader. If you don’t know who that is, ask a neighbor or contact us .

Watch for more information here and from your Block leaders!

05 Oct

DIY Preparedness Drill Saturday 10/11/25 10am – noon

This year we’re letting blocks decide how they want to practice what we’ve learned from Map Your Neighborhood and previous drills. If you haven’t already, you will likely receive instructions from your block leaders in the next week. The Drill activities within the Blocks can be decided by the individual blocks.

a neighborhood gathering site — Nob Hill Stairs Drill 2023

Some possible activities:

–You may use the 10am start to practice “Drop, Cover, Hold On” and then proceed to your Neighborhood Gathering Site (Please bring your MYN booklet)

–You may follow the initial Drop Cover Hold On with practicing the 9 steps of Map Your Neighborhood (which includes going to your Neighborhood Gathering Site).

–use the time to get to know new neighbors and update your contact lists and skills & equipment inventories

–follow the MYN response plan and form teams and walk your block looking for incidents posted on telephone poles (alternately, have envelopes with situations for your team to decide how best to respond.

–delve into a specific predetermined topic as a team (communications, disaster kits, planning for sheltering in place or evacuation, focus on special needs, or whatever you come up with that will strengthen your block in a disaster.

26 Sep

MWJN Disaster Drill 10/14/23

Our exercise focused on the Nine Steps of the Map Your Neighborhood program. MYN is based on knowing your neighbors, knowing who needs extra help and what collective resources your block has available to help ourselves in the first hour following a disaster. Find out more about MYN .

It was a fun time with our neighbors!

THE DRILL: Began at home: At 10am DROP, COVER, HOLD ON! Practice what to do in the first hour of a Disaster:

–Grab your Walkie-Talkie Radio. Turn to Ch 5 – Listen to Network, call & give your status

Get your MYN booklet and follow the 9 Steps:

Check your Household – Make sure everyone is safe.
Dress for Safety – Put on sturdy shoes, a hardhat or helmet, and leather gloves
Locate your Gas Meter – Know where it is and know how to turn it off if necessary (but DON’T turn it off for the drill)
Locate your Water Shut-off Valve – Know where it is and know how to turn it off if necessary (but DON’T turn it off for the drill)
Check that you have your HELP/OK sign with 2 band aids stapled in your MYN booklet
Place your Fire Extinguisher on the Curb – Dial should be green, invert, and shake for 30 seconds
before placing it in front of your house for neighbors to grab if needed for fire
Go to your Block Gathering Site – Where is it? Follow your neighbors.
Select a Block Drill Coordinator to organize teams based on the number of people and what each person prefers to do. Distribute vests, radios & tools. The Drill Coordinator may join one of the teams. Teams check the block for incidents.
After Teams complete work, Return to Gathering Site to share results

During the last hour all blocks convened in the “5 Points” intersection for a debrief session for feedback on what worked and what didn’t. Ben reviewed all the incidents and all the correct responses. Pierre also demonstrated how to shut off gas. And we had pizza! An educational and tasty event!

23 Aug

13th Annual Valley Disaster Fair 10/10/20

This year the event started by the late great Bill Hopkins will be a Live Virtual Event! Held on valleydisasterfair.com. Registration is required and a limited number of advance registrants will be eligible to win a disaster kit. Hear special guest speakers and see safety demonstrations. Featuring all kinds of Emergency and First Aid Info including Pet Preparedness. And, it’s all free!

Starter Disaster Kits – photo by Bernard Falkin

The free annual Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair, largest of its kind in Los Angeles, is managed and produced by the Foundation as a whole community event to help bring information, knowledge, and awareness to being better prepared for large-scale emergencies and disasters. The 13th annual Fair will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Northridge Fashion Center’s Pacific Theaters parking lot (9400 Shirley Ave.). Each year, 1,950 substantial Family Emergency Preparedness (EP) Starter Kits are distributed free to attending registered families. For more information about the Fair, including a 15-minute video, visit www.ValleyDisasterFair.com.

Bill Hopkins was the President, Director, and Founder of the Southern California Preparedness Foundation, which hosts this event and was a strong supporter of disaster and emergency preparedness. He served as a community-elected member of the Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council (GHNNC), founded and chaired the GHNNC Emergency Preparedness Committee, and was Vice-Chair of its Public Safety Committee. Bill was the principal key to the success of previous annual Valley Disaster Preparedness Fairs.

Download the flyer