About Sebastopol Ready

This website has roots back to 2005 when a small group of interested, concerned and active residents wanted to be more individually prepared and to assist first responders when able. The Sebastopol Fire Department provided sponsoring support to have the Sebastopol CERT Advisory Board begin a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Sebastopol CERT routinely provided the 20+ hours of classroom training and final class exercise. Over 300 local residents took the classes over the next few years.

Understanding the rigorous CERT Training was not for everyone, the CERT Advisory Board began researching options with ‘neighborhood education’ as a focus. The MYN (original Map Your Neighborhood) Program was chosen and implemented in 2010. (See the final paragraph regarding 2022 name change.)

The 2017 & 2018 fires within Sonoma county dramatically increased interest by residents to better understand how to prepare for and respond to fires and other emergencies. The Sebastopol Fire Department responded to this interest and improved neighborhood preparedness outreach to area residents by enhancing many elements of the MYN program offering. 

With more direct outreach provided, the MYN Program has seen twice as many local area residents attend MYN classes then in all the years prior. The idea of connecting neighborhoods together in a Leader Council evolved from discussions with theand the Sebastopol Hardware Center. These current community partners have been providing organizational assistance and incentives for Leaders to implement the MYN program.

With collaboration and assistance in 2022 from the MYN Leader Council, a new program name - Meet Your Neighbors - was selected that better reflected the Sebastopol area program focus and keeping the well known acronym, MYN. In 2025, MYN became MYNWC as the program moved over to Gravenstein Health Action Coalition. The goal of MYNWC is to help you Meet Your Neighbors!

The Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit also dates back to 2005, and has been an integral part of the MYN program. However, when MYNWC was formed, the volunteers of SNCU wanted to remain independent and focus on serving residents of Sebastopol and the areas adjacent to the city.

Our Mission

To help neighbors learn to work together to become a resilient force during times of emergencies.