Next big snowfall, Madison Park neighbors are organized and ready

If Seattle gets bombarded with a blizzard of ice and snow this winter, as many have predicted, one neighborhood is prepared.

Madison Park has organized a snow brigade, complete with drivers and walkers willing to fetch groceries and prescriptions, shovel walks, drive homebound residents to warm shelters and even walk dogs.

It's the only organized neighborhood effort in Seattle, city officials say.

"The Madison Park neighborhood two years ago was isolated for days," said Gene Brandzel, an attorney who, with his wife, Liz, is leading the snow-brigade effort. "We had no bus transportation, no system for people who had special needs to get prescriptions. All the predictions are so dire, we'll essentially be in Antarctica for the winter."

Last week, the signs went up throughout the neighborhood, saying: "Will you help your neighbor if we get snowed in?"

"The snow brigade will help neighbors who need essential groceries, critical prescriptions, essential medical appointments, help walking dogs, snow removal and transportation to heated shelters."

Kathryn Lafean lives in a condominium in Madison Park, and during the blizzard of 2008 she lost her electricity. She couldn't keep warm and was isolated until her boss, Robin Duberow, picked her up and took her back to his house, also in Madison Park.

Duberow's house had no power either, but he did have a gas stove and a fireplace. Lafean, 83, camped out in front of the fireplace for three nights.

"I don't drive and have no car, so getting to the store was almost impossible," she said. "I was running out of food and only had enough medicine for four days."

She thinks the snow brigade is "absolutely great."

"We have a lot of elderly people who can't get around and they do need the help."

Gail Irving, who chairs the Madison Park Community Council, said this year's forecast motivated the neighborhood, much of which is only accessible by a steep hill.

"When we heard this might be the worst winter in 50 years, we decided we would help neighbors work together," she said. "What we've done is open up avenues for communication among neighbors, which is the best thing that could have happened."

Irving said many people in her neighborhood of 5,000 people, which includes Madison Park, Washington Park, Denny Blaine and Broadmoor, have volunteered to help in the brigade, including Duberow.

"I'm excited that people have responded, been welcoming to the idea to help someone they may not know. That's the great part of it," said Irving.

Pharmacist Linda Cody also has been working with neighborhood pharmacies to arrange for stranded residents to have their prescriptions picked up by a brigade member. And if the prescriptions can't be picked up at one pharmacy because of the weather, they can be transferred to another pharmacy.

Plus, Madison Park won't go without its coffee. Brandzel said the brigade has a deal with the manager of the Madison Park Starbucks, if he gets snowed in at his home in Fremont. "We will come get him so that people in the neighborhood will not succumb to coffee deprivation, sometimes a fatal illness."

The shop was closed briefly in 2008, but this time manager Ian Hughes may take Brandzel up on his offer if he gets stuck.

"People will have their coffee," he said.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com