There’s an effort to establish more community emergency hubs in Seattle, where neighbors can gather immediately following a disaster, such as a major earthquake.
Some of the densest zip codes in the city, such as Capitol Hill, still don't have a hub. KING 5 highlighted the problem during a series of special reports last summer.
“We’re going to be dependent on each other before the city resources are actually going to be able to respond to individual needs here in the community,” said Ron Angeles, who helped start a hub in Rainier Beach. It's a shed perched near an alley behind several homes.
The City of Seattle is now offering $1,500 grants for up to 14 neighborhoods to create hubs. The money will provide them with a hub-in-a-box, containing supplies to help people get through the first few days after a disaster.
The Rainier Beach hub has one of those boxes, filled with blankets, first aid kits, water filters, and many other emergency supplies.
“If the people don't take the time to prepare themselves, we're going to have a big calamity with folks will at that time have to invent what they're going to do,” said Cindi Barker, an emergency response advocate who helps neighborhoods start hubs.
