SNAP has been training Sunnyvale residents in the various facets of disaster preparedness since 1988. It was first tested on Oct. 17, 1989 at 5:04 p.m., when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit Northern California.

Since then, SNAP's goals have stayed the same, but the focus has evolved over time.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the presence of unnatural disasters became a factor. And now, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there is an emphasis on making citizens self-sufficient.

"We're putting more focus on people being prepared in their homes and being able to stand on their own for anywhere from 72 hours to a week," said SNAP co-chairman Ray Strong.

Strong said that interest in SNAP fluctuates year-to-year, often depending on world events.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington D.C., SNAP created neighborhood teams, with different specialists who were trained to handle specific aspects of an emergency.

But in the years between Loma Prieta and 9-11, lack of urgency caused SNAP to shrink. "Complacency reared its ugly head and the groups slowed down and basically went away," Strong said.

After 9-11, Strong and his wife Jerilyn saw a renewed need for community preparedness, a need that couldn't be serviced by the old SNAP setup.

"We really took a hard look at the things that had originally been done, which was really just talking heads, and we knew people needed something more hands on," she said. "I asked 'What if all the first aid people or the search and recovery people are at work?'"

Wanting to make the program more effective, they morphed it into a nine day course--free of charge and funded by the city--where all participants learn all the material, instead of the old way where one participant specialized in one specific area.

The categories they studied include disaster preparedness, fire safety and suppression, incident command, understanding terrorism, disaster medical operations, stress management, triage and search and rescue. The course ends with a simulated disaster exercise.

Emergency Planner Cherel Sampson, from the Sunnyvale office of emergency services, said the teaching style of the course allows them to be prepared for any emergency.

"If you stop and think about disasters, there are some common things you should do, so we try to focus on that part of preparedness," she said. "We don't have to alter our program because our approach has always been to look at all hazards."

In addition to a broader focus, the latest class--which began Sept. 22--is encouraging students to be resourceful when it comes to helping themselves and their neighbors.

"We're teaching them to use all the tools they have on hand, like newspapers for splints or ironing boards for stretchers," Jerilyn Strong said.

SNAP committee member Keeth Souza-Courpet said Hurricane Katrina and the storms that followed have proven the value of training programs like SNAP.

"[Katrina] just reiterated how critically important it is for people to be prepared," she said. "It's not a matter of if something will happen, but when, so we need to be ready."

The next SNAP course is tentatively set to begin Jan.19. To sign up, or for more information, call Cherel Sampson at 408.730.7190 or email SNAP@ci.sun
nyvale.ca.us.