It’s reassuring to see our neighbors in Pacific Palisades taking steps toward Disaster Preparedness during a recent meeting of the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC). One resident, Jennie Buchbinder, spoke about her HOA’s positive experience with the free LA City-sponsored RYLAN (Ready Your LA Neighborhood) program, a FEMA and American Red Cross disaster preparedness program called Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) that helps neighborhoods become resilient, before, during, and after a disaster. Although public in-situ classes are no longer taught due to COVID precautions, RYLAN training is available “virtually.� See the link below for contact information and a video explaining the benefits of RYLAN/ MYN. On a neighborhood level, inexpensive FCC FMS devices, such as FRS radios, allow potentially life-saving communications within a 250-foot distance in an emergency. They are best-used in neighborhoods organized in disaster-preparedness. With help from L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) Auxilliary Communications Service (ACS), plans for a “Radio Shack� funded by the local American Legion members, will be located at the American Legion Hall (next to the Palisades Post Office) to help Palisadians achieve an FCC Amateur Radio license (HAM). It’s not difficult to pass the test for a technician class FCC license for anyone over nine years old. It’s also a golden opportunity to teach children the importance of neighborhood resilience by participating in vital communications before and during emergencies. There could come a day when the loss of cell towers and electric power outages disrupt regular communications. To learn more about FCC licensed Amateur Radio operators, “who are here when all else fails,� contact LAFDACS (lafdacs.org); or Hank Wright: HWright@live.com; and cert-la.com and scroll down to “home,� where the new LAFD Emergency Preparedness Guide is available for download. It could save your life, or that of someone in your family, or a neighbor. Take some time to understand the implications of not having a plan. (Emergency Management Department: emergency.lacity.org) Thanks to Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP.org), Topanga CERT, and Arson Watch,among others, most Topangans are well aware that communications before, during, and after a major disaster are essential, as is having a plan. It’s reassuring to see our neighboring cities working their plans, too. We’re in this together. cert.palisades@gmail.com