Neighborhood Watch
Did you know that there are over 100 Neighborhood Watch groups in Altadena? Neither did I. Unfortunately, many of us are unaware of our Neighborhood Watch groups in our neighborhoods due to lack of communication. Neighborhood Watch groups help facilitate communication among neighbors and increase safety and awareness. I would like to link all of Altadena’s Neighborhood Watch groups together into a Neighborhood Watch Organization of Altadena. This way, everyone would be linked together, and areas that do not have Neighborhood Watch groups would be able to create one under the guidance of this organization. Most importantly, our community would be a safer place in which to live.
Proposal
Imagine an emergency situation in which we need to communicate with one another (the recent fires are a perfect example). I believe that linking neighborhoods together is not only effective in increasing safety but also creates a way to communicate information during a time of emergency, such as regarding evacuation orders. How else are we going to get information back and forth to one another? What other communication system do we have in place? What is our current method of handling emergency situations? During the recent fires, the police drove down the street and announced evacuations through a loudspeaker, and knocked door to door. This is one solution, but it is time-consuming, only effective for people who are at home at the time, and was not effective for when the evacuation order was lifted. The fires showed us that conflicting information is easily spread, and it was difficult for residents to know when it was okay to return home. The last thing we need to do is wait for another emergency to figure out what to do. The Neighborhood Watch Organization of Altadena would unify our community against crime and better prepare us for emergency situations.
A Neighborhood Watch Organization of Altadena would create a safer community in many ways. If you are a Neighborhood Watch captain for your neighborhood, or know who is, please send me your contact information and the area you represent to herbert.h.simmons@gmail.com
#1 by DA Johnson "SMILE LaDy" on September 5th, 2009
Quote
Would Love to have and ACTIVE Neighborhood Watch Team, and know all the people CERT Trained in our Track, and also work on getting more Lighting at the Top of Marengo Loma Alta down to At least Concha so VERY DARK…
It is a true safety issue that I have been documenting for about 2 years, I do have the pictures of what has been going on in the DARK right next door to me. When Brought up at meetings and letter response We have to have so many signatures and PAY for it. Thanks for listening … also Trim trees so we can see street signs etc.. Safety and Fire hazard
Still SMILE(ing)
#2 by Jeremy Cowin on September 5th, 2009
Quote
I am acting as Captain of the Neighborhood Watch here on upper Highview – between Mariposa and Altadena Dr. Altho there is little participation on my street, I have been trying to set things up here for the past 2-3 years with little success.
#3 by Jay Tyzzer on September 7th, 2009
Quote
Hello,
During the evacuation here above Loma Alta, we had a Ad Hoc Radio two way communication system in order to pass on events happening in the area. (McNally) We plan on expanding this and giving a demo and class at our next block meeting. We were also in touch with operator in the tract just west of us.
This workd very well for something just “thrown together” Putting a protocal in the works will make it even better.
Regards,
Howard Josiah Tyzzer III “Jay”
#4 by Holly Rundberg on September 14th, 2009
Quote
I am very proud of our McNally/N. Fair Oaks Neighborhood Watch group. We came together about 8 years ago over an attempted burglery situation and have become good friends and until recently only got together for occasional meetings, block parties and holiday gatherings.
The recent rash of burgleries on McNally and N. Fair Oaks brought us together again for the safety of the neighborhood. We have expanded at each difficult event (burglery & attempted and then fire) but have found that we live with amazing, caring and capable neighbors. There is a high level of comfort that I think we all are able to enjoy as a result.
The area we are covering with our group is McNally, N. Fair Oaks (including the Summerkids Camp) above Loma Alta and now Taos east of Glenrose.
We established a List Serve initially to ensure privacy but found it stellar when it came to keeping up to date on the fires.
Holly Rundberg
Block Captain
Pingback: More For Altadenans