Map Your Neighborhood

MYN_Logo.png

COVID-19 Update: The Kirkland Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is currently working on ways to deliver preparedness classes to the Kirkland community in compliance with social distancing guidelines from Public Health - Seattle & King County. Subscribe to the OEM Newsletter for updates.

Many of us have found new ways to connect with our neighbors during this pandemic. Although neighborhood gatherings might not look like they used to, OEM has been heartened to hear tales of Kirkland neighbors connecting with each other, someg for the first time, to check in, consolidate grocery runs, and even help supply neighbors with toilet paper! These actions are the spirit of the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) program.

At this time Kirkland residents should not host in-person MYN meetings. Feel free to use the MYN materials below to get creative with virtual MYN meetings, and continue to check in with your neighbors at a distance.

The MYN program is designed to help neighbors prepare to respond to an emergency together.

Neighborhoods may be on their own for the first hours, days, or even weeks following a major disaster. In these scenarios, normal response agencies like police, fire, or public works may not be able to reach everyone who needs help quickly. In these cases, the first people available to respond are often neighbors or people nearby. MYN helps develop neighborhood plans to respond to these kinds of emergencies.

Neighborhoods that are prepared for emergencies can save lives, reduce the severity of injuries and trauma, and reduce property damage. In addition, contributing as an individual and working together as a team helps develop stronger communities and improve the quality of life within that community.

Program Synopsis

  • Learn the 9 Steps to Take Immediately Following a Disaster to secure your home and to protect your neighborhood. These steps will help you to quickly and safely take actions that can minimize damage and protect lives
  • Identify the Skills and Equipment each neighbor has that would be useful in disaster response. Knowing which neighbors have supplies and skills helps disaster response and allows residents to contribute to the response in a meaningful way.
  • Create a Neighborhood Map identifying the locations of natural gas and propane tanks forquick response if needed.
  • Create a Neighborhood Contact List that helps identify those with specific needs such as elderly, people with a disability, or homes where children may be home alone during certain hours of the day.
  • Learn how to work together as a team to evaluate your neighborhood after a disaster and take the necessary actions to help those who need it.

Get Started with MYN

MYN Neighborhood Facilitators guide their neighbors through the MYN process. Learn more about becoming a Neighborhood Facilitator.(PDF, 255KB)

The first step to becoming a Facilitator is to take a MYN Train-the-Facilitator training. Sign up online.

Find MYN Facilitators in your neighborhood using this map(PDF, 1MB).

MYN Materials

MYN Overview(PDF, 1MB)
Learn more about the MYN program.

MYN Skills and Equipment Inventory(PDF, 212KB)
MYN Participants fill out this sheet and bring it to their neighborhood meeting to share skills resources that will be helpful in a disaster response.

MYN Neighborhood Contacts(PDF, 194KB)
Following the neighborhood meeting, Neighborhood Facilitators will compile information from the Skills and Equipment Inventory (PDF) distribute to neighbors.

MYN Video Series
This video series helps guide neighbors through the MYN process.

MYN Discussion Guide(PDF, 8MB)
This guide is a supplement to the MYN Video Series.

MYN Meeting Reminder(PDF, 639KB)
After a MYN meeting is scheduled, use this flyer to invite and remind neighbors.

MYN For Vertical Neighborhoods(PDF, 5MB)
Additional resources for conducting MYN in apartments and condominiums.

Request Materials

To request printed MYN materials, trained Neighborhood Facilitators should complete the MYN request form(PDF, 314KB). Forms can be submitted by email or dropped off at or mailed to:

Office of Emergency Management

123 5th Ave.
Kirkland, WA 98033.

For further information, please contact Emergency Management at KirklandEM@kirklandwa.gov or 425-587-3691.

Get Involved

Back to top