It started as a panicked phone call from a worried mother in Florida.

Daughter Annette Hamilton of Kirkland got an earful from her mother, who was concerned about the current “earthquake swarms.”

“She and I had lived for a number of years in Alaska, where earthquakes are a constant, and a genuine life-or-death matter, particularly in the wintertime,” said Hamilton.

But her mother’s concern got her thinking. And now she’s teamed up with other community members to try and keep her entire five-block Peter Kirk neighborhood safe following a disaster.

The Peter Kirk community is invited to attend a “Map Your Neighborhood” (MYN) emergency preparedness meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23 in the Peter Kirk Elementary gymnasium, 1323 Sixth St., Kirkland. Developed by the State of Washington’s Emergency Management Public Education Department, MYN is a program designed to bring neighborhoods together after a disaster to save lives and homes.

During the meeting, participants will learn the nine steps to take immediately following a disaster; develop a neighborhood skills and equipment inventory; verify which neighbors need extra help in a disaster such as the elderly, those with disabilities or children who may be home alone. Attendees will also identify areas of concern in their neighborhoods, such as gas meters.

The project – sponsored by the City of Kirkland, the Reporter, Peter Kirk Elementary, its PTSA and Puget Sound Energy – will serve as a model for the entire Kirkland community in coming years, says Liv Grohn, project coordinator.

“It is truly heartwarming to see the efforts of so many volunteers to ensure that we are all better prepared to help one another immediately following a disaster,” said Grohn, noting that nearly 100 volunteers have stepped up to hand deliver meeting invitations to about 3,500 households.

Grohn – whose daughter attends Peter Kirk Elementary and 88-year-old grandmother lives in the Peter Kirk service area – says MYN is a simple, practical and doable plan.

“We all know what we should have, but what should we do,” said Grohn, who has participated in the MYN program for the past two years with her immediate neighborhood.

To RSVP, contact Grohn at 425-736-8011 or e-mail livgrohn@verizon.net.