The Highlands Community Association is looking for some help to make sure that senior citizens and the disabled in Renton have a better chance of surviving an disaster or other emergency.

The association is inviting the public to a disaster preparedness meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 12, to help assemble emergency kits for distribution.

The meeting is at the Highlands Neighborhood Center, 800 Edmonds Ave. N.E.

The kits will include flash lights, candles, first-aid kits, communications gear and emergency food, among other items.

The guest speaker at the event is Deborah Needham, the City of Renton emergency management director.

Also attending are officials from other city and community organizations.

Those wishing to donate items for the emergency kits can call Howard McOmber, the association’s vice president, at 206-679-6694, or Terry Person at 425-228-5848.

“We think it’s a good cause,” said Sandel DeMastus, an association member. She said the association has donated $2,000.

Natural disasters in China and Thailand have helped raise awareness that Renton residents need to prepare for the worst, she said. Then there’s the big winter storm that hit Renton in December.

“We think it’s much needed with the last storm we had,” she said.

The goal, she said, is at least 200 emergency kits.

Once done, the association will gather names for distribution, she said.