Community Involvement
communites are only as prepared as its network of connections and resources
Responding with Confidence
Community is the heart of human and physical resources and amenities.
During activations, logistics is where emergency management directly intercects with business and community.
Those responsible for emergency management may not always know about all of their community's local assets and resources.
While it makes sense for the local emergency management organization to lead networking efforts, business and community sectors can initiate and bolster this work as well.
Anyone can become a preparedness network catalyst in the community to increase response capability and confidence.
Need for Diverse Community Involvement in Preparedness
"EM practitioners have a responsibility to eliminate an "us and them" cognitive framing of government and public relations.
This can be achieved by securing buy-in for preparedness across diverse communities and stakeholders, in partnership with instead of subordination to governments, and exposing communities to core emergency management philosophies.
EM practitioners should think beyond typical academia-based qualifications and involve diverse viewpoints and lived experiences in the national conversation on how to make emergency management better."
(p.6) (CJEM, 2023, Report from the Emergency Management Think Tank - June 7th, 2023)
Supporting Emergency Management Organization Efforts
Local disasters require local resources.
Emergency Management Organizations (EMOs) need to be able to ACCESS them to respond with confidence!
Being prepared saves time, reduces loss, and assists in recovery efforts.
Local Resources Knowledge and Established Business Connections are Key
You may be surprised to learn the range of required resources is vast for community responders to be fully prepared and respond with confidence.
Examples include: accommodations, heavy equipment, drones, remediation, animal care, ATVs, lighting, porta-potties, fencing, catering, clothing, and stationary supplies, to mention a few!
