DISASTER PREP AND RESPONSE
Neighbor Helping Neighbor
Corte Madera’s Get Ready Program (for earthquakes, floods, or other natural disasters)
started forming shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Volunteers taught hundreds of “Get
Ready” classes throughout the community and in fifth grade classrooms. It was funded by
Homeland Security, based in the Corte Madera Fire Department, and the Corte Madera
Community Foundation donated funds to support it.
Within a few years, John and Lee Howard and others formed a Neighborhood Response
Group (NRG) in Mariner Cove in East Corte Madera, called “Neighbors Helping Neighbors".
They developed a successful template, and gradually other neighborhoods in Corte
Madera, Larkspur and Greenbrae adopted it. Central Marin NRG currently has 42 NRGs
with 6000 households (with individual NRGs ranging in size from 66-505 households), and
they provide training in first aid, radio, fire safety, and other needed skills, along with practicing disaster drills.
Visit www.nrgmarin.org for more information about NRGs.
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