You can never be too safe, and this is one of the mottos Los Alamitos had in mind when they initiated the Neighbor 4 Neighbor program.

The citizens of Los Alamitos in Orange County banded together for the first time on February 6 to form their own branch of this disaster safety program. Acknowledging a disaster to be any time needs exceed resources, about 200 proud residents gathered to “form street-by-street alliances to look out for each other on an ongoing basis” and to discuss methods of protection in case of a dangerous situation. After this organizational meeting, the neighbors held several “Meet and Greets” where citizens could get to know those who lived around them. At the second Meet and Greet, representatives of the Los Alamitos Police Department (LAPD), Southern California Edison, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), and West Orange County Community Emergency Response Team (West Orange CERT) visited to share training and resources that could prove valuable in a disaster.

To “provide opportunities for [Los Alamitos] to pool talents and resources to increase our chances of withstanding and recovering from a disaster” is the program’s initiative, according to Pattie Laird, who first brought citizens together to form Neighbor 4 Neighbor in Los Al. By setting up volunteer block captains and safety leaders for particular segments of Los Alamitos, Neighbor 4 Neighbor prepares the community for “anything from large-scale natural events to smaller personal setbacks.”

Meet and Greets consist of potlucks where every citizen who visits participates, whether it be by bringing a meal to share or helping to distribute helpful safety information. At this meeting, representatives from A-Plus Survival displayed and sold various disaster supplies, and Marx Bros., a fire protection company, serviced and refilled fire extinguishers. The West Orange County CERT also offered a course about fire suppression, light search and rescue procedures, and disaster medical skills.

Detective Corporal Rick Moore of the LAPD stressed at the meeting the importance of reporting anything out of place to the police. Although some people are hesitant to report their suspicions for fear of bothering the police, Moore told the Meet and Greet participants that officers really appreciated the help and were there for OC citizens “24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

At the Los Alamitos city council meeting following the Neighbor 4 Neighbor gathering, city leaders acknowledged the success of the program and discussed ways of expanding the program to other nearby cities.

“We are excited to see so many people embracing the idea of looking out for each other to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those living in the Highlands,” said Pattie Laird.“When neighbors pledge to trust each other and work together, amazing things get done.”

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