The pages in this section provide more details about who we are and our work, including upcoming events, activity reports, photos, video, background information and media coverage. You'll also find information about (big and small) ways that you can get involved! If you are looking for classes or other emergency preparedness training, visit our Training & Education page in the Resources section; it has links to many different learning resources.

About Us

We are West Seattle Be Prepared (aka the Emergency Preparedness Committee of the SouthWest District Council), a community-based all-volunteer effort with representatives and community leaders from many of the West Seattle neighborhoods. Our focus is to provide information, identify resources and needs, and to promote communication regarding emergency preparedness. Our committee is headed by Cindi Barker, from the Morgan Junction neighborhood. Other members include: Tony Fragada and Kathy Olson (Alki); Sylvia Rolle (Admiral); Patty Sponseller (Alaska Junction); Sharonn Meeks (Fairmount); Deborah Greer and Karen Berge (Hansen View); Matt Swenson and Jim Sanders (Pigeon Point);  Eve Enslow and Shane Marr (Olympic Heights); Gordon Wiehler (Fauntleroy); Dave W. Brown (Highland Park); and Ron Zuber (Radio Operations). Karen Berge created and maintains our website...and our West Seattle Be Prepared Facebook group page; we also have a new 'blog at http://westseattlebeprepared.wordpress.com and you can tweet us @wsbeprepared. 

We work closely with Tracy Record (West Seattle Blog); Mark Howard and Debbie Goetz (Seattle Office of Emergency Management); Jeanne Wickland (Admiral SNAP group); Mary Vigilante (Alki Community Center Advisory Council); and with other West Seattle neighborhood groups, local police and fire, city and county officials/agencies, and others across the city. 

Several members from our group also meet monthly with leaders from similar groups in other neighborhoods. West Seattle, Queen Anne - Magnolia - Interbay, and Wallingford are leading the way on the effort to establish emergency communication hubs in Seattle. You can find more information about this leadership team (dubbed the 'Hub Caps') on the Office of Emergency Management Neighborhood Preparedness page; you'll also find details on our Other Communities page. In 2010, this group organized two emergency communication hub summits and we worked together throughout the year on several citywide preparedness drills. We are planning similar events in April and November 2011; watch the What's New page for details.

Our efforts are sponsored by the Southwest and the Delridge Neighborhood Councils. In 2009, we were one of 3 neighborhoods who received direct funding from the city of Seattle to complete the radio equipment and Go Kits for our hubs.We recently received a Small Sparks neighbood matching fund grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods to cover our website hosting costs.