Emergency Preparedness Pie Parties:
An Organizing Toolkit
A little preparedness goes a long way… and it can be FUN!
Climate experts are predicting more frequent severe weather events—like the kind we saw
with Hurricane Sandy and Blizzard Nemo. It is inevitable that our neighborhoods will be
impacted. Compounded by rising energy prices, economic instability, and events such as the
Marathon Bombing, the question arises: how will this affect you, your family, your
neighbors, and the broader community?
While we don’t know exactly what kinds of “emergencies” we may have to contend
with, we do know that the first responders in any major crisis will be our neighbors.
In the first 24-48 hours after a major disruption, it is our neighbors who we will need to rely
on to make sure everyone in the neighborhood has enough food, water, warmth, and
shelter, especially in the case of power outages and disrupted phone service. A coordinated,
neighborhood response can also help state and federal authorities identify and serve our
needs most effectively.
JPNET is supporting the formation of small neighborhood “Preparedness Pie Parties” to get
to know our neighbors and put in place some very basic measures to strengthen our
neighborhood response. The most basic preparation can mean the difference between
a resilient, well-coordinated community response, and a group of disconnected,
isolated neighbors waiting for help from afar. And in the meantime, why not get to know
your neighbors better and eat pie?
This toolkit is designed to help you organize an Emergency Preparedness Pie Party in your
own neighborhood, and is based on our experience helping to organize these events. We
would very much like your input! Feel free to contact us with questions and suggestions:
info@jamaicaplainforum.org. In the meantime, we hope you find these tools helpful! We’re
here to help you get a Pie Party started on your block!
Table of Contents
All of the contents of this Toolkit are samples only—we encourage you to
adapt these tools according to your sense of your own neighborhood’s culture
and needs.
I.
Tips for Organizing an Emergency Preparedness Pie Party
II.
Flier
III.
Agenda: External
IV.
Agenda: For Facilitators
V.
Party Sign-in Sheet
VI.
One-Pager on Short- and Long-Term Emergencies
VII.
Emergency Preparedness Kit: Content List
VIII.
Neighborhood Map
IX.
Suggested Actions for Follow-up
X.
Cover Notes for Follow-up
XI.
Contact List for Neighborhood Canvassing
XII.
List of Additional Resources
Tips for Organizing an Emergency Preparedness Pie Party
The Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition has been supporting neighbors in the
formation of Emergency Preparedness Pie Parties: small, neighborhood-based
gatherings designed to both help prepare communities for disaster and to build
community strength and resilience (which is good for all of us—whether we’re faced
with an emergency or not!).
Here are some key things we’ve learned about organizing and hosting a Pie Party:

Organize with a Neighbor. Try to get at least one to two other people involved as
co-hosts or co-organizers. It’s very helpful to have another person or two who can
help with things like: determining the neighborhood group size; dropping off fliers,
knocking on doors, and gathering contact information from people; collecting and
preparing materials for the party; setting up the space; co-facilitating; and helping
with follow-up tasks (please see “Pie Party Follow-up: Suggested Action Items” in
your Toolkit). We have found that it is especially important to have at least two
people working on getting people to come to the gathering, which often requires
repeated, face-to-face communication and frequent, varied reminders.

Set a Date! We recommend getting started about four weeks in advance, so that you
have time to pull things together and so that people can be sure to get it on their
calendars. (Two weeks is do-able, too, but it may affect turnout!)

Define Your Neighborhood or Block. Define the boundaries of your
neighborhood group (i.e., identify the households you want to invite to your Pie
Party). It could be just your immediate street or block. Keep in mind that the most
effective response occurs in the first hour after a disaster—in fact, it is referred to as
the “golden 60 minutes”. If a group is too large, it is difficult to coordinate an effective
response. You’re also most likely to respond to what you can immediately see—we
advise choosing the households that are in your “line of sight.” (But also keep in mind
that to get 12-15 people at your party, you’ll likely need to invite twice that many!)

The Outreach is Important, Even If Not Everyone Comes. Remember that
not everyone will be interested, and that’s okay. Stay in touch with them by keeping
them in the loop—make sure everyone in the defined area receives updates, materials,
and anything that the group agrees upon at the meeting.

Responding to Fear. Some people may find the topic of emergencies or disasters
scary or threatening. If this comes up in your recruitment efforts, remind folks that it
will be a lot less scary if you actually have a plan, and if you’re all working together to
make sure that, in the event of an emergency, everyone will be taken care of. It is also
good to acknowledge these feelings during the Welcome and Introductions section of
the Pie Party (see the Sample Agenda for Facilitators in your Toolkit).

It Doesn’t Have to be a Pie Party. Perhaps you would prefer to host an
Emergency Preparedness Pizza Party, Popcorn Party, or Potluck Party. Use your
imagination—what do you think would encourage people to come? What inspires
you? You’ll also need to decide how to provide the treats—will they be homemade or
purchased? How will they be paid for?
Come to the [Street Name]
Emergency Preparedness Pie Party!!
[Date]
[Time]
[Address]
Climate experts are predicting more frequent severe weather events—like the kind we
saw with Hurricane Sandy and Blizzard Nemo. Wondering how best to prepare for these
kinds of extreme weather events or other "disruptions" like the Marathon Bombings?
Interested in getting to know your neighbors? Come to a "Preparedness Pie Party"! 1020 of your closest neighbors will gather to eat pie, socialize, and think through the best
way to prepare for emergencies. We'll identify key things to include in an emergency
preparedness kit, discuss important ways to be prepared as a community, and more.
As the Washington State Initiative "Map Your Neighborhood" says,
"You're only as prepared as your neighbors."
Please RSVP to:
[Co-organizer name and address]
[email] | [phone]
[Co-organizer name and address]
[email] | [phone]
Come to the [Street Name]
Emergency Preparedness Pie Party!!
[Date]
[Time]
[Address]
Climate experts are predicting more frequent severe weather events—like the kind we
saw with Hurricane Sandy and Blizzard Nemo. Wondering how best to prepare for these
kinds of extreme weather events or other "disruptions" like the Marathon Bombings?
Interested in getting to know your neighbors? Come to a "Preparedness Pie Party"! 1020 of your closest neighbors will gather to eat pie, socialize, and think through the best
way to prepare for emergencies. We'll identify key things to include in an emergency
preparedness kit, discuss important ways to be prepared as a community, and more.
As the Washington State Initiative "Map Your Neighborhood" says,
"You're only as prepared as your neighbors."
Please RSVP to:
[Co-organizer name and address]
[email] | [phone]
[Co-organizer name and address]
[email] | [phone]
"You're only as prepared as your neighbors."
–Washington State’s Map Your Neighborhood initiative
PREPAREDNESS PIE PARTY: SAMPLE AGENDA
Goals/Objectives/Outcomes of the Party:
 Get to know each other: our resilience is most directly related to the strength of our
connections
 Complete an inventory among people in the core group: who they are, ages, needs, etc.
 Create a list of Emergency Kit contents and a plan for each individual/family/household to
put one together
 Identify key next steps
I.
Gather, Mingle, Eat Pie!
II.
Welcome and Introductions – 15 min.
a. Why we’re here, brief overview of agenda and objectives
b. Introduction Go-Around (<1 minute per person):
- Name
- Address & Something Distinctive About Your House or Building
- What Brought You Here
III.
Short-Term Emergencies and Concept of the Long Emergency – 5 min.
IV.
Getting Right to the Nitty Gritty: Assembling an Emergency Preparedness
Kit – 25-30 min.
a. Activity in Pairs: Brainstorm contents of Emergency Preparedness Kit
b. Finalize a “kit checklist” in the whole group
c. How prepared do you feel? How many people have most things on this list? How
many people don’t have most of these things?
d. Determine next steps for assembling kits for each household
V.
What Else do We Need to be Prepared … and Effective? – 7 min.
a. Inventory of people who might need additional assistance, and specific needs
b. Inventory of tools/resources
c. Community hubs
d. Okay signs
e. Complete Listserv / Contact List
f. Other??
VI.
Closing and Next Steps – 5 min.
a. Map Mingle
Possible Next Steps:
 Create signs for meeting places/hubs
 Create and distribute “Okay” signs for each household
 Create neighborhood listserv/directory
 Identify specific needs of neighbors
 Transport: Who has cars? Bicycles? Who doesn’t?
 Shut-off Checklist (gas, water, and electricity) for self and neighbors
PREPAREDNESS PIE PARTY:
SAMPLE FACILITATOR’S AGENDA
Desired Attendance: 15-20 people
Goals/Objectives/Outcomes of the Party:
 Get to know each other: our resilience is most directly related to the strength of our
connections
 Complete an inventory among people in the core group: who they are, ages, needs, etc.
 Create a list of Emergency Kit contents and a plan for each individual/family/household to
put one together
 Identify key next steps
VII.
Gather, Mingle, Eat Pie!
VIII. Welcome and Introductions – 15 min.
a. Why we’re here, brief overview of agenda and objectives
b. Introduction Go-Around (<1 minute per person):
- Name
- Address & Something Distinctive About Your House or Building
- What Brought You Here
Suggested Talking Points for Welcome:
The first responders in a major crisis will be our neighbors. In the first 24-48 hours
after a major disruption, it is our neighbors who we will need to rely on to make sure
everyone in the neighborhood has enough food, water, warmth, and shelter, especially
in the case of power outages and disrupted phone service. A coordinated, neighborhood
response can also help state and federal authorities identify and serve our needs most
effectively.
Small neighborhood “Preparedness Pie Parties” are a way to get to know our neighbors
and put in place some very basic measures to strengthen our neighborhood response.
The most basic preparation can mean the difference between a resilient, wellcoordinated community response, and a group of disconnected, isolated neighbors
waiting for help from afar.
Why this set of houses? Why not more? Because the most effective response occurs in
the first hour after a disaster. It is called the “golden 60 minutes”. If a group is too large
it is difficult to coordinate an effective response. Also, “line of sight” homes: we tend to
respond first to the things we can immediately see.
IX.
Short-Term Emergencies and Concept of the Long Emergency – 5 min.
a. Pass out one-pager titled: Prepare for Short-Term Emergencies & Long-Term
Challenges and briefly review some of the key points
b. Describe what a disaster is: any event that threatens to overwhelm the capacity of 91-1 emergency responders.
X.
Getting Right to the Nitty Gritty: Assembling an Emergency Preparedness
Kit – 25-30 min.
a. Activity in Pairs: Brainstorm contents of Emergency Preparedness Kit (see Activity
Description #1 at the end of Agenda)
b. Finalize a “kit checklist” in the whole group (ask if anyone would be willing to
volunteer to type up the list and send it out after the meeting)
c. How prepared do you feel? How many people have most things on this list? How
many people don’t have most of these things?
d. Determine next steps for assembling kits for each household
XI.
What Else do We Need to be Prepared … and Effective? – 7 min.
a. Inventory of people who might need additional assistance, and specific needs
b. Inventory of tools/resources
c. Community hubs: 1) Neighborhood Gathering Site—could just be a front porch—for
initial organizing; 2) a bigger, more central place for gathering, powering up, caring
for those who may need it, etc.
d. Okay signs
e. Complete Listserv / Contact List
f. Other??
XII.
Closing and Next Steps – 5 min.
a. Map Mingle & Skills/Tools Sign-up (See Activity Description #2 at the end of
Agenda)
Possible Next Steps:
 Determine meeting places/hubs
 Create signs for meeting places/hubs
 Create and distribute “Okay” signs for each household
 Create neighborhood listserv/directory
 Identify specific needs of neighbors
 Transport: Who has cars? Bicycles? Who doesn’t?
 Shut-off Checklist (gas, water, and electricity) for self and neighbors
Materials & Other Preparation:
 Identify who can help during the activity for agenda item IV (comparing what people say to a
standard list of emergency kit contents)
 Nametags and sharpie pen
 Copies of agenda for facilitators
 Handouts
o One-pager on short- and long-term emergencies
o Map
o Other?
 Flipchart, markers, tape
 Prepared flipchart for:
o Agenda
o Introductions
o Numbers IV and V on the agenda
o “Next Steps”
o “Other Ideas”
o “Questions and Follow-up”
o Map
o “Please Sign Up!: First Aid Skills? Experience Caring for Children or Elders?
Experience Caring for Pets? Other skills/expertise or skills? Tools … (like a
generator)?”
 Sign-in sheet (to be filled out when people arrive)
 Paper and pens for people to take notes (give out at the beginning) and to brainstorm their
Emergency Prep Kit lists
 Timepiece / timer
 Camera
 Jar and sign for pie donations
 Pies and ice cream
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Drinks and coffee
Plates, cups, utensils, napkins
Sufficient seating (couches, chairs, pillows)
Put prepared and blank flipchart paper on the walls
Activity Description #1: Preparing Your Own Emergency Preparedness Kit
 Ask the group to pair up and come up with all the items they think should be in an Emergency
Preparedness Kit.
 Make sure everyone has a piece of paper and a pen so they can write down their ideas.
 Set a timer for 5-7 minutes.
 When everyone is done, go around the room, one by one, asking each person to read one item
from their list. The only rule is that you can’t repeat what someone has already said. The
facilitator should write each item on a piece of flipchart paper at the front of the room.
 Meanwhile, there is an appointed person (co-organizer or co-facilitator) who is comparing
what everyone says to an “official” Key Contents list (a sample is included in this Toolkit).
When no one has anything else to add, this person adds whatever may have been missed.
 If you choose, you can ask people to identify what they don’t have, and then work together to
figure out how everyone can obtain these items for their kit. (For example, sharing if someone
has extra items, going shopping together at thrift stores or local hardware stores, etc.)
Activity Description #2: Map Mingle
 Prepare a simple, hand-drawn map on flipchart paper, and post on a wall that will be easily
accessible to people at the Pie Party.
 At the end o the Pie Party, ask people to take a pen and fill in the map, both with their own
information (names, kids, pets, etc.), and the information—if they know it—of people who
weren’t able to attend.
 In addition, prepare a piece of flipchart paper with these headings: First Aid Skills?
Experience Caring for Children or Elders? Experience Caring for Pets? Other
skills/expertise or skills? Tools … (like a generator)? Be sure to leave space under each
heading for people to write in what they may have to offer or share. Hang this next to the
Map.
Prepare for Short-Term Emergencies &
Long-Term Challenges
Everything we do to prepare for “short-term emergencies”—such as
hurricanes, blizzards and power outages—is similar to what we need to
do to prepare for what James Howard Kunstler calls the “long
emergency.” The “long emergency” includes the future challenges we
may face as a result of climate change, declining cheap energy, and
economic instability. Knowing our neighbors and building resilient
communities is necessary for both.
The New Normal of Climate Change. The weather we’ve experienced
over the last year may be unusual, but this also may be an indicator of
the “new normal.” Scientists tell us that as the atmosphere warms we
will face more extreme weather in the form of torrential rains, droughts,
blizzards, hurricanes, and tornados. Extreme weather may in turn affect
our city infrastructure, food system and economic stability.
The End of Cheap Energy. Our present standard of living is based on
several generations of accessible and cheap oil, coal, and natural gas.
The easiest-to-get energy sources—such as U.S. oil deposits—have been
tapped. Access to natural gas has temporarily masked the reality of the
decline in cheap, easy-to-get energy. As our energy costs and mix
change, we will need to transform our economy.
Economic Instability. We’ve lived through several decades of extreme
wealth inequality and economic growth based on unsustainable debt
and consumption. Real wages have been stagnant for three decades
while financial speculation is rampant. All these indicators suggest
potential economic instability ahead.
Recommended Supplies for An Emergency Preparedness Kit
In an emergency, it can be critical to have your own food, water and
other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials
and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach
everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.
Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment
and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your
supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.
Try to assemble your kit—which is simply a collection of basic items your
household may need—well in advance of an emergency. You may have to
evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will
probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.
Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs,
such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to
include important family documents.
Basic Supplies:
 Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for
drinking and sanitation
 Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
 Battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and
extra batteries for both
 Flashlight and extra batteries
 First Aid kit
 Whistle to signal for help
 Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
 Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
 Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
 Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
 Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
 Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
 Local maps
 Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Clothing and Bedding:
Winter in Boston can be frigid. It is possible that the power will be out and
you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing and bedding supplies to account
for growing children and other family changes. One complete change of
warm clothing and shoes per person, including:
 A jacket or coat
 Long pants
 A long sleeve shirt
 Sturdy shoes
 A hat and gloves
 A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
Below are some additional items for your family to consider adding to its
supply kit. Some of these items, especially those marked with a * can be
dangerous, so please have an adult collect these supplies.
 Emergency reference materials such as a first aid book or a print out of
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the information on www.ready.gov
Rain gear
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Cash or traveler's checks, change
Paper towels
Fire Extinguisher
Tent
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container*
Signal flare*
Paper, pencil
Personal hygiene items including feminine supplies
Disinfectant*
Household chlorine bleach* and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine
parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in
an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular
household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe
or bleaches with added cleaners.
Important Family Documents such as copies of insurance policies,
identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Prescription medications and glasses
Pet food and extra water for your pet
Pie Party Follow-up: Suggested Action Items
There are, of course, likely to be some action items that come out of your first Pie
Party, so be sure to capture those as well!

If you have leftover pie, a nice thing to do is leave a piece of pie at the front
door of those who weren’t able to attend. You can put the pie on a paper plate
with plastic wrap or foil, along with a note (you can use leftover fliers and write
a personal note in the margin). People will love it!

Type up notes from the meeting (this is a good place to capture action items,
and, if possible, the names of those who volunteered to be responsible for each
item and an expected date of completion).

Enter information from sign-in sheet into an electronic document.

Create an email “group” in your Contacts, then send an email thanking
everyone for coming. If you have any links you want to share about emergency
preparedness, community building, etc., this is a great time to do it.

When the notes are completed, make sure they are emailed out to everyone.

When the maps and final preparedness kit lists are completed, email them out
to people and leave them in mailboxes, along with a cover note (see “Cover
Notes for Maps & Kit Content List” in your Toolkit).
Cover Notes for Maps & Kit Content List ~ To Leave in Mailboxes
For those who came:
Hi!
Thanks for coming to the Pie Party on [date]. Here’s the map we came up with, along with
the Emergency Kit Content list (We’re sending these out by email as well). If there are
things you’d like changed or added please just call, email, or even stop by!
Thanks again for your participation in all of this. We’ll have a table at the block party with
information available, and we’re working on following up with the action items we
identified when we gathered.
We encourage you to get started on putting together your Emergency Preparedness Kit,
and don’t forget to put a pair of good shoes or boots, work gloves, and a flashlight under
your bed! We’ll be in touch soon about how that’s going.
In the meantime, we hope you’re enjoying the remaining days of summer!
Your neighbors,
[Co-organizer name & address]
[Co-organizer phone number]
[Co-organizer email]
[Co-organizer name & address]
[Co-organizer phone number]
[Co-organizer email]
For those who didn’t come:
Hi!
We’re sorry you weren’t able to come to the Pie Party on [date]. Did you get the pie we
left you?
We had a great time and had a good discussion about both why it’s important to be
prepared in an emergency and how to do that. Mostly, though, people were there to get
to know each other better; ultimately this is really about community building and
neighborhood resilience—whether we face an emergency or not.
Here’s the map we came up with at the meeting, along with a basic Emergency Kit
Content list. If there are things you’d like changed or added please just call, email, or
even stop by! We encourage you to get started on putting together your own Emergency
Preparedness Kit.
We’ll have a table at the block party with information available, and we’re working on
following up with additional action items that the group identified when we gathered.
We hope you’re enjoying the remaining days of summer!
Your neighbors,
[Co-organizer name & address]
[Co-organizer phone number]
[Co-organizer email]
[Co-organizer name & address]
[Co-organizer phone number]
[Co-organizer email]
Partial List of Resources
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association:
http://www.noaa.gov/wx.html
FEMA Community Preparedness:
http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm/grouphome
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS909/Preparedness_FacilitatorGuide.pd
f
Map Your Neighborrhood (MYN) Discussion Guide:
http://www.emd.wa.gov/myn/documents/myn_discussion_guide.PDF
Preparedness videos:
http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_prep_video_index.shtml
Interview with Dr. LuAn Johnson, summarizes concept of MYN:
http://www3.wsiu.org/television/infocusarchive/player.php?record=183
Alternatives to Map Your Neighborhood, according to FEMA:
http://disasterprep.challenge.gov/submissions
Ready Boston:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/OEM/ReadyBoston/
Boston Community Emergency Response Team (CERT):
https://www.cityofboston.gov/oem/ReadyBoston/Get_Involved.asp
Map Your Neighborhood in Some Other Areas:
Oklahoma:
http://www.ok.gov/reddirtready/YOUR_NEIGHBORHOOD/Map_Your_Neigh
borhood/
Missouri:
http://mssc.missouri.edu/MYN/Gen%27l%20MYN%20data/MYN%20SeismicWavesMay08.pdf
Illinois:
http://www.ci.carbondale.il.us/node/479
Scituate, MA:
http://scituatecoastalcoalition.org/map_your_neighborhood_program