It’s been a long time since Seattle’s last big shake had everybody diving under desks and thinking about being more prepared for emergencies. If you were here for the Nisqually earthquake in 2001, you’ll be happy to know that we apparently got lucky. These scientists say ‘the big one’ might end up being even bigger than previously thought when it finally strikes the city.

All of this toward freaking you out a a bit and encouraging you to give serious thought to attending a community meeting on disaster preparedness this Saturday — or, at least, getting prepared on your own.

The Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare group is bringing its seminar to the Capitol Hill library Saturday at 10:30 AM. You’ll learn how to be prepared as an individual — and as a community — for emergencies big and small and, yes, even snowy.

The SNAP group has also been working with community groups in the city to prepare neighborhood disaster response plans for the areas. Where on Capitol Hill will people gather in the event of a major catastrophe that destroys homes and apartment buildings? That’s the kind of thing you might want to have a plan for as a community. As an individual, much of it is as simple as making sure you have the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of your neighbors and extra water.

And being prepared on Capitol Hill is an especially good idea. WARNING: More freak-you-out stuff follows. At a recent meeting of the Capitol Hill Community Council, Seattle Office of Emergency Management’s Mark Howard said Capitol Hill’s older homes are a big concern in a significant earthquake. Howard said older houses on the Hill are often not attached securely to their foundations and the risk is that they will collapse in the event of a strong earthquake. Howard said the most vulnerable area of Capitol Hill is the west side along I-5 where there is also the risk of landslides. Freak-out stuff over.

With that as inspiration, for you do-it-yourselfers, here are some SNAP resources linked to from the Seattle Office of Emergency Management Web site:

SNAP Meeting Packet Items for Shelter and Special Needs, Communications and Damage Assessment:

• Getting Organized Meeting Agenda (PDF)
• Neighborhood Coordinator Task List (PDF)
• Search and Rescue Task List (PDF)
• Shelter and Special Needs Task List (PDF)
• Communications Task List (PDF)
• Utility Control Task List (PDF)
• First Aid Task List (PDF)
• Damage Assessment Task List (PDF)
• Help/OK Sign (PDF)
• Neighborhood Response Site Signs (PDF)
• Getting Organized Worksheet (PDF)
• Getting Organized Beginner Drill (PDF)
• Download All SNAP Host Kit Materials (PDF)
• Download All Preparedness Materials (PDF)
• Download All Task List Materials (PDF)
• Download All Meeting Packet Materials (PDF)

SNAP Drills:

• Conducting Effective Neighborhood Drills (PDF)
• Planning Process for a Neighborhood Drill (PDF)
• Neighborhood Drill Log (PDF)
• Getting Organized Beginner Drill (PDF)
• Beginner Tabletop Drill – Task Responsibilities (PDF)
• Intermediate Functional Drill – Map Your Neighbhorhood (PDF)
• Advanced Drill to Drill Kit (PDF)
• Download All Drill Kit Materials (PDF)

Special Medical Needs (PDF)

Store Emergency Water for Disasters (PDF)

Supply Kits

• Family Disaster Supplies Kit (PDF)
• Pet Preparedness (PDF)
• Car Kits (PDF)
• Work/School Kits (PDF)

Storing Emergency Water (PDF)