Neighborhood planning can be initiated at a formal meeting of an association of homeowners, at an informal meeting among a few neighbors or by the persistence of individuals who may recruit neighbors individually.  In some cases where a formal association does not exist, individuals can start the effort by leaving fliers at neighborhood houses that explain the goals and ask for information to build a telephone contact list.  This can be the first step in organizing one or more meetings, possibly in a picnic form to help build communication and cooperation among neighbors.  Remember, in the first hours of an emergency, the golden time for animal evacuations, the stronger the neighborhood program, the better the chances for a safe and thorough evacuation of people and animals.  

     The focus of neighborhood planning to to build a network by which people can help each other in times of crisis.  This does not involve merely animal issues, but issues of warning neighbors who might be unaware of problems, making sure that everyone is able to leave safely, including the elderly or handicapped neighbors.  Each neighborhood can consider telephone lists, telephone trees, small groups of households to "buddy" with each other and distribution of individual emergency preparedness information.  In addition, neighborhoods can help each other in wild fire prevention by pooling resources, helping those who are physically unable to plan or carry-out the removal of flammable slash and by generally reminding each other of the importance of these activities.  

    Lastly, neighborhoods can work with fire and sheriff departments and county planners to try to obtain emergency evacuation corridors wherever physically possible.  Occasionally, "emergency only" exit routes through private property can provide additional safety in some of our communities that have a one way in, one way out access.