by Kirby Lindsay, posted 28 July 2014
The Fremont & Wallingford Safety Meeting for July 2014 took place at History House of Greater Seattle, with the museum’s Operations Manager, John Nordstrand, giving the first presentation – on Emergency Preparedness.
A Need For Information
Nordstrand made a strong pitch to those gathered, and all Fremonsters. For our greatest safety, and swiftest survival, during and following a disaster, our community needs to have information on its resources and needs. Nordstrand has volunteered to collect and compile the information, provided it is given to him either at History House or at john@historyhouse.org.
The range of disasters – from a random shooting on a bus (like the 1998 tragedy) that cripples our transportation, to the awaited, epic earthquake laying waste to most of Seattle (including Fremont) – requires a range of resources to care for victims, avoid associated tragedies, and ultimately restore services.
Nordstrand, and other volunteers at this meeting, proposed assembling a list or map (or both) of Fremont’s resources: block watch captains, defibrillators, gathering sites, local medical professionals, generators, HAM radios & operators, emergency lodging options, and available survival materials that could be put to use following any kind of community-wide, or city-wide, emergency.
Local businesses may have resources – defibrillators, first aid stations, food stores, etc. – they can share, but it does no good if their neighbors don’t know it. Due to privacy laws, the City and other authorities cannot give out the names/contact information on block watch captains and any trained experts already living/working here. Elderly and/or disabled neighbors who live in Fremont may need extra consideration in an extended power outage, severe weather or other debilitating situations – and it is important to be aware of our most vulnerable neighbors.
Nordstrand has volunteered with the American Red Cross, and he’s personally seen resources go unused due to a lack of awareness. The City of Seattle has warned that following a city-wide disaster, portions of our city may be without any emergency aid or services for up to three days (think about Hurricane Katrina and the Oso Landslide.) He wants to see Fremont – and Wallingford – create our own CERT (Community Emergency Response Team.) He’s offered to collect information, but everyone must share the information they have – and spread the word – so that Nordstrand and other volunteers can create a complete list.
Please, share your details at john@historyhouse.org
FAWN (Fremont Aurora Wallingford Neighbors)
FAWN began, 10 or 15 years ago, as a group of block watches, according to Linda Clifton. FAWN covers the area of Fremont (and Wallingford) surrounding Aurora Avenue, and while Clifton lived in this area it wasn’t until a stolen car came off of the highway and crashed into her own – about 8 years ago – that she got involved.
Back then, FAWN volunteers did weekly – even daily – surveillance walks of Aurora Avenue, to report chronic crime and troublesome patterns to the Seattle Police Department (SPD.) Through their work, and that of many others, the area did get cleaned and much of the criminal activity removed. Today, FAWN volunteers do more like quarterly walks of the area, still reporting on graffiti, and crime, in order to discourage any potential return of these activities.
Currently, FAWN has no president, no formal organization, and no website, Clifton reported. However, she welcomed everyone to contact fawn.seattle@gmail.com to get on the mailing list, and find out about the walks, to fight crime in the FAWN area.
SPD Crime Prevention
Seattle Police Crime Prevention Coordinator Elizabeth Scott introduced herself. She has just come on to serve the North Precinct (which covers Seattle from the Lake Washington Ship Canal to North 145th St,) including Fremont. Her job is to unite neighbors, and help us keep our eyes out for our community. “I want to come out and work with the neighborhood,” she said.
Scott can conduct security reviews of homes and businesses, to help owners find ways to make properties less attractive for criminal activity. She pointed out that burglaries most often take place during the day, particularly in summer, when open windows and unlocked doors make it easier. The most commonly stolen items are electronics, jewelry and prescription meds, and she recommended inventorying, marking and photographing these items in case of theft. Car prowls, on the other hand, take place more often, in Fremont, at night. Please, Scott and SPD Community Policing Officer Loren Street asked, do not leave portable items visible in your car (particularly bags, satchels and/or briefcases that look like they might contain electronics,) and park in well-lit areas.
Officer Street also asked, again, that Fremonsters report crimes they witness. He understands the frustration and reticence among victims, but reports on seemingly random, and/or minor, crime creates a statistic, and contributes to a pattern, that help law enforcement.
As our Community Policing Officer, Street rarely responds to 911 calls. He addresses the chronic, community-based crimes, and this summer, he said, he’s spent most of his time on those who ‘camp’ on the public roads in their car/van/RV/bus. Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien (who was not at this meeting) created ‘Road to Housing’, intended to get the campers off the streets. So far, however, it has paid for the parking infractions and lost items of many campers, and given some a sense of entitlement – and may be the reason for a dramatic increase in the numbers of campers this summer. The associated problems of fire, theft and toxic litter (tires, mattresses, human waste, etc.) have also increased, Officer Street noted, and he asked that everyone who witnesses a crime – by campers or anyone – please contact the SPD at 911, or use the non-emergency number of 206/625-5011.
Come Together, And Share
Abel Pacheco, of the Seattle Police Foundation, pointed to another way Fremonsters can meet and get to know the SPD officers – and ask about ways to fight crime and make us safer. On Sunday, August 24th, at the University Heights Center, attend the free, family-friendly North Seattle Precinct Picnic from 1p – 5p. In addition to free food and games, this picnic gives attendees a chance to meet the K9s and horses, and have a lot of fun!
Ultimately, though, the take-away from this latest Fremont & Wallingford Safety Meeting (hosted by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce) is the need to communicate – with the SPD but also with each other.
Please, identify Fremont’s resources, talents and vulnerabilities to john@historyhouse.org Get on the list of volunteers to create a ‘Resilient Fremont’, if you can, and/or spread the word to those who might have their own resources – or needs – and encourage everyone to get on the list!
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