Become a neighborhood champion

What is a champion?

Thank you for considering becoming a “champion.” This may be the single most important role in South Whidbey Prepares. Champions are the heart and backbone of this effort—helping neighbors understand why preparedness matters, helping to organize people and resources, and inspiring them to take action before disaster strikes.

Some folks may say they don’t have time, but you know that being prepared is the best kind of insurance. As a champion, you will encourage and guide your neighborhood through that journey—from awareness to real commitment.

You don’t have to do it alone! Partner with someone who loves to host gatherings, organize details, or crunch data. Building resilience is more fun (and more effective) when you team up with a few allies.

Here’s how we support you

• First, let us know you are interested.

• We have ample resources available—see the road map below and see your special section on the Resources pages. If you don’t see what you want, let us know. We have a core of volunteers willing to help, mentor, advise—whatever you need. A fundamental value of this initiative is helping one another. We encourage and welcome new ideas.

• We host a monthly Champions’ Meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, 6pm at the Bayview Fire Station. We learn and laugh together, share stories of successes and help one another with obstacles that crop up.

Monthly meetings that deliver useful information, champions have the opportunity to learn from and each other, working groups and other experts.

The path to success

Step 0: Communicate the need

• Find a friend to help you initiate a campaign in your neighborhood.

• Engage the help of South Whidbey Prepares (email us).

• Host a party to energize folks and find more allies.

• To help you start here are some resources:

  • Sample letter of introduction you can customize and leave with neighbors

  • Colorful tri-fold that explains the need to prepare

  • Sample first meeting agenda which you can customize for yourself

Step 1: Get to know neighbors

• If you would like a big map of your unique neighborhood, email us and we can help. Alternatively you can create a google map of your own. It’s fun way to show people who lives in their vicinity.

• Host another party to discover/inventory resources and skills. We recommend you use “Map Your Neighborhood” (perhaps with the Rural variation), or modify our alternate questionnaire to fit your circumstances.

• Discover everyone’s critical shut-off valves and put those on your map. If you can conduct a neighborhood-walk around for everyone to see those valves, all the better.

• Tally information and share with all neighbors. Have a conversation about what you discover, implications. If critical skills are missing, consider getting some training.

Celebrate every step! We won’t do this if we don’t have fun ☺️

Step 2: Prepare individual households

• Your job now is to prepare your own household.

• Encourage all your neighbors to make significant progress. Host monthly or quarterly parties for folks to report their progress. Share “deals” as you come across them and encourage others to do the same. Would a bulk purchase of some items (like water containers or freeze-dried food) be helpful?

Step 3: Prepare as a neighborhood

• Discover if you have any area-specific dangers (tsunamis, floods, liquefaction, etc) by studying the Island County Map Gallery

• Develop evacuation and stay-in-place plans.

• Develop your radio communications plan with our Radio Working Group and test it.

• Consider provisioning a central location where you can gather if homes are significantly damaged.

• Register as a “Ready Neighborhood” with Island County Department of Emergency Management.

Step 4: Learn & upgrade

• Encourage as many of your neighbors as possible to get CERT trained.

• Take “Stop the Bleed,” “First Aid,” “Wilderness First Responder” and other courses to expand your skills.

• Join Working Groups as interests align.

• Participate in drills and exercises sponsored by South Whidbey Prepares and Island County’s Department of Emergency Management.

• Connect with adjacent neighborhoods and discover how your skills and resources expand. How can you help each other?

• Encourage and help friends across the south end to initiate their own neighborhood preparedness.