West Seattle scene: Do you know where YOUR ‘hub’ is?

| Preparedness | West Seattle news

In case of catastrophe – there’s likely a Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hub near you, a place where you can go to get and share information about what’s happening and how to get help. Pigeon Point has a new hub location – 20th/Genesee – on the West Seattle Be Prepared Emergency Communication Hubs roster, and Jim Sander has created signs to help get the word out:

Thanks to Pete Spalding for sharing the photos. P.S. So where’s YOUR nearest hub, you ask? Check this map from westseattlebeprepared.org:

View West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs in a larger map

Don’t see one near you? Here’s how to change that.

Tucker July 22, 2014 (12:24 pm)

I’ll be honest, I was flat-out unaware of this initiative. It’s a complete “duh” proposition, but hadn’t heard of or really thought about this. Thanks, WSB, for bringing attention to it.

WSB July 22, 2014 (12:37 pm)

We actually should mention this far more often than we do. Lots of drum-banging in the early days five or so years ago – and then you tend to think “oh, everybody knows,” but no, they don’t, and new people move here all the time. westseattlebeprepared.org, largely the work of Karen Berge and Deb Greer, also co-founders of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network, is an information-packed website, so take some time to browse when you can … it’s about more than the hubs. – TR

D Del Rio July 22, 2014 (12:42 pm)

What about Arbor Heights?

Lola P July 22, 2014 (12:50 pm)

and Cindi Barker.

WSB July 22, 2014 (1:05 pm)

Lola, yes, of course. I was mostly referring to the website, which Karen and Deb put together and maintain, but Cindi too is a key WSBP leader … she’s often our key liaison, too, and we’ve done many previous series of reports that wouldn’t have been possible without her rustling up the info. Which we credit as often as we can, and yet she – quite the humble soul, as are Deb and Karen – often tries to discourage that! Anyway, please, everybody, check out the site, think about your home and neighborhood preparedness … no matter what else you’re doing in life, it’s all for naught if you don’t have that “just in case” plan. – TR

WSB July 22, 2014 (12:51 pm)

If you don’t see one, it’s because no one has stepped forward to organize one – the last link in the story explains how! This is an all-volunteer endeavor – and one that has inspired others elsewhere in the city. – TR

Vanessa July 22, 2014 (1:21 pm)

August 5th is the Annual “Take Back the Night” event throughout the city and our neighborhood always takes advantage of this block party and cook out, to go over all of our emergency preparedness plans.
We are fairly organized with neighbors names and addresses,phones, (Block Watch Captains keeps these lists confidential). We see who has kids, pets, who has special needs, elderfolks, who has gas lines, etc etc.
We even have a lot of first aide supplies and some equipment if needed.
SO, I am suggesting that you do the same It’s a great reason to get together and share the information. We have assigned houses for shelter, for medical help, who are nurses, etc etc. We have assigned “runners” that would go down to our HUB, to report our conditions, which is Mount St. Vincent’s. Each hub will have bulletin boards with supplies needed, and equipment and supplies available. We are supposed to be self sufficient on our own, if and when the big earthquake hits us, and not necessarily expect the medical and fire rescue squads be available for at least 3 days. Most of us know the drill. Don’t forget about food, water and medications. Keep a dedicated pair of shoes under your bed, think of all the broken glass throughout your household..
We do a potluck, and break out a couple of bar-b-que grills and have good eats, connect with the neighbors we havent seen in awhile, and get to know the new ones who moved in since last summer.

WSB July 22, 2014 (1:36 pm)

I’ll be publishing the “two-week reminder” of Night Out later today and will cross-reference :)

kumalavula July 22, 2014 (2:46 pm)

so grateful to everyone who works behind the scenes (when we are not frantically racing around during an emergency) to ensure that if and when one happens we can get info and help each other out. i assume this new pigeon pt hub replaces the old one that was at 19th and andover?

RPH July 22, 2014 (6:00 pm)

High Point Hub map description note should read east of 35th SW, SW Morgan becomes Sylvan Way SW at Lanham Place SW

pigeon Hill Jim July 22, 2014 (7:49 pm)

New Pigeon Point hub location at 20th and Genesee does replace old location.

Mike July 22, 2014 (8:55 pm)

Great to see this, although if we ever do have a tsunami or if Mt. Rainier blows (lahar can reach the Duwamish head), I think people need to head up the hill away from Alki Community Center.

West Seattle Be Prepared July 23, 2014 (12:02 am)

Many thanks for the shout out & kind remarks, TR! RPH, thanks for the feedback re the map; will fix.

In addition to the change of location for the Pigeon Point hub, we have also made an adjustment to the Morgan Junction hub (#6); it has moved from the Thriftway lot to Morgan Junction Park at 6413 California Ave SW (a half block north and across the street). Also, we have a new emergency communication hub (#12 on the map)! It is located at the Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden Street.

Karen

sam-c July 23, 2014 (8:31 am)

why no hub in puget ridge?

Eddie July 23, 2014 (10:00 am)

Vanessa – It’s the “National Night Out”, not “Take Back the Night”. Subtle difference. “Take Back..” implies everything, everywhere has gone to h**l and we need to get it back. The National Night Out is focused on meeting your neighbors and building neighborhood community, and the implied affect on prevention of issues.

West Seattle Be Prepared July 23, 2014 (12:03 pm)

The map is now fixed. FYI, for those of you who’d like a printable copy of our hub map, we have one posted to our blog (which is linked from the lower left-hand side of our website home page). You can also stop by our booth at Delridge Day on August 9th to pick up printed postcard maps!

sam-c, we’d love to have a hub in Puget Ridge and throughout other neighborhoods as well! If you and/or other folks from the local neighborhood are willing to get involved, we are more than happy to help you get started. The main thing is to have a few people who are close enough to the location that they can get there without a vehicle after an emergency. Grants are available to fund equipment such as the 2-way radios, so the main thing is to find committed people!

West Seattle Be Prepared July 23, 2014 (11:24 pm)

D Del Rio, just wanted to add that we’re also hoping to get a hub going in Arbor Heights! We gave a presentation about the hubs to the PTA of AH Elementary early last spring, we also participated in the Emergency Reach Out event there in fall of 2012 & we did find interest in having hubs there. A great next step would be to get interested folks from the Arbor Heights neighborhood talking with each other to determine a location for a hub and someone willing to be the Hub Captain for that hub.
Karen

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