Message in a Bottle — For Your Neighbor
We are currently exploring a “shock” method to get our preparedness message across to our neighbors. We wrap a letter around a one-liter bottle of water. It explains that . . .
“We cannot store enough food and water to be of help to you in an emergency, but here is a bottle of water to show our good faith. We hope you will recognize the need to be prepared and – using the list on the back of this letter – make sure your entire household is protected.”
Why go to this trouble for your neighbor?
Even here in our neighborhood, after all our meetings and trainings and articles, the reality is that as many as 35% of our neighbors simply don’t take responsibility for their own safety and security.
Yes, this is better than nationwide averages, which put the unprepared at closer to 50%.
But because these people haven’t personally experienced an earthquake or serious storm, or had to survive for any longer than a few hours in a post-emergency situation,
. . .either the risk doesn’t seem real to them or
. . .they mistakenly believe that the government will provide for them.
So the Message in a Bottle is just the next step.
Our Emergency Response Team will be meeting next week to roll the letters and fasten them to the water bottles with rubber bands. Then they’ll set out and deliver a bottle to the doorstep, if not directly into the hands, of every person in their assigned area.
When the emergency hits, we don’t want neighborhood slackers coming to us for help, and forcing us to either share our precious supplies or turn them away. The letter makes that clear — in a nice way.
We want everyone to be prepared and working together!
I’ll report in on what kind of response or reaction we get to this campaign!
Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team
P.S. Sign up here so you don’t miss any neighborhood training ideas!
P.P.S. If you’d like a copy of our letter with the checklist on the back, just let me know.