Let's Not Monkey Around with Preparedness

My younger daughter took this picture at this past Saturday's Comcast Cares Day, and I've been thinking about it (both the day and the monkey) all week. First of all, because a whole pile of new community food gardens were built that day all over North Atlanta (including the 32 plots at the Alpharetta Community Garden), and that helps to create a more secure local food system. Then, of course, Monday night was the public hearing about the amendment to allow the continuation of our successful farmers market (see here for a couple corrections to the Dunwoody Crier story).

Think this doesn't affect you? Do you eat? It affects you. Sustainable cities worldwide are focusing a great deal of attention on their local food system--encouraging community, school and residential food gardens and urban farms; supporting farmers markets; involving all parts of their populations, and changing policies to ensure that their city will not be left behind. (Do I even go into the whole swine flu thing?!)

But that's just the start. The storm we had last week, right on the tail of our Dunwoody tornado anniversary, got me thinking again about natural disaster preparation:

* We have no tornado warning system in Dunwoody, for instance.

* I have no idea if we have established locations for shelter in case of any kind of disaster here in Dunwoody.

* I have never heard mention of any kind of evacuation plan or emergency communication system.

Listen, I know we are a new city, but are these things being talked about? Is there someone at City Hall who is tapped in to disaster preparation at the city, metro, state and national levels? Let's not monkey around (ahhh, there's the monkey tie-in!) about things that can help prepare our city for a changing world, and protect our citizens in case of emergency. And let's sharpen up our city communications methodologies so that clear, accurate information is disseminated in a timely manner.

At the recent excellent Lemonade Days event, I talked with the folks at the Homeland Security booth and picked up a simple little brochure listing emergency supplies. I know we've seen these lists a hundred times since 9/11, but this one was short and manageable and offered basic advice. See www.ready.gov.

September is National Preparedness Month. I hope by then I have answers to all these questions for you, in relation to the City of Dunwoody. We should be well along in our Comprehensive Plan by then, and a secure local food system and emergency preparedness ought to be part of those discussions. In the meantime, I am going to freshen up my old 9/11 emergency kit, and have discussions with my neighborhood about emergency preparedness. I have found that, for me, at home and in my 'hood are always good places to start.