Residents of Espanola will soon be displaying brightly coloured cards in their windows to let neighbours know how they are doing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The town’s Emergency Response Team is gearing up to roll out a new neighbourhood watch window identification program and communication back-up plan this week.
The program is meant to be a system of communication that doesn’t rely on technology.
Homeowners will receive a package with instructions and four brightly coloured cards they can stick in their window to inform passersby about the situation in the home.
Green means “we are okay”; yellow means “we need food or medication”; blue means “self-isolation by choice or requirement”; and red means “urgent help needed.”
“The idea really came out of discussions we were having with our emergency management committee,” said Mayor Jill Beer.
“We know the likelihood of all three communications services (internet, phone, and cell phone) going down at the same time is very slim, but we need a backup communication plan in the event of a sustained communications disruption of more than six hours.”
The Town of Espanola, which has 5,000 residents, has a significant population of seniors and other vulnerable members of the community. Some of these residents live on their own, or with a partner who is also considered to be in a vulnerable situation.
According to Beer, residents have been calling the municipality asking if there was anything they could do to help each other out.
The idea for the neighbourhood watch program came from social media.
A number of communities have considered implementing similar programs, and people from all over the world have been putting handmade art in their windows to cheer up anyone walking by.
“Rather than waiting to see different systems of communication popping up all over the place, and having different colours mean different things to different people, we thought why not establish one system for the whole community,” said Beer.
The system is entirely voluntary and the municipality will not be assuming responsibility for keeping tabs on everyone.
Instead, people are being encouraged to keep an eye on their closest neighbours and to lend a hand when possible.
A team of volunteers, including Mayor Beer, will start distributing 2,500 packages to homeowners this week.
“A colour-coded system is easy. You can keep your distance and still see that everything is okay in the world. This will help alleviate some stress and worry we’re having for other people,” she said.
People participating in the program are encouraged to put the cards in a place that is easily visible to others.
If a resident sees a coloured paper in the window, they are being asked to offer assistance by knocking on the door and maintaining a physical distance of six feet required for social distancing.
If the person in the residence requires assistance beyond your means, call 911. If there is no telephone service, residents can drive directly to the OPP or Fire Department to report a concern in person.
For general inquiries about the program, residents can call 705-869-3888.