Strengthening Community Resilience: Join the Movement to Prepare Together for Disasters
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A Dundee Hill WOOOT Meeting. Photo Courtesy of Local 20/20 [/caption]
By Local 20/20
Local 20/20’s NPREP Action Group focuses on helping neighbors prepare and organize so that they may effectively work together when a disaster occurs, thereby enhancing the safety and comfort of all in such difficult times. Working with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (DEM), this effort has facilitated the self-organization of well over 100 neighborhoods since 2006. While the number of organized neighborhoods of prepared households is significant, many more are needed throughout Jefferson County.
Preparedness begins with simple steps: having emergency supplies on hand, knowing your neighbors, and establishing communication plans. However, the true strength of this initiative lies in its community spirit. When neighbors collaborate, they create a network of resilience—an interwoven fabric of trust, skills, and resources that can mean the difference between chaos and coordination during a crisis. Organized neighborhoods manage disasters more efficiently and promote a sense of community and mutual support that persists before, during, and after an emergency.
Jefferson County's vision is clear: a community where every neighborhood stands ready, united, and prepared to face the unexpected together.
In times of crisis, our rural community relies on a dedicated public safety infrastructure to respond efficiently. However, large-scale disasters, especially those impacting nearby urban centers, pose significant challenges that can overwhelm local resources and potentially delay help for significant lengths of time. This stark reality - often referred to as YOYO, ‘You’re On Your Own’ - highlights the vital importance of preparedness and cultivating resilience within our neighborhoods.
You are not truly “on your own” when you take these proactive steps alongside your neighbors. The 100+ neighborhoods that have embraced this collaborative effort are only a fraction of what is needed to support our population! This highlights the urgent call for more people and neighbors to embrace the need for personal preparedness and organize to take on the effects of a disaster together.
To facilitate this, we are beginning to use a new mnemonic - WOOOT - “We are On Our Own Together”! Each one of us continues to be responsible for being personally prepared, but when we band together in each of our neighborhoods, we will be stronger together and more resilient. Building such resilience is not just about survival; it is about empowering our community to face the unexpected with confidence and readiness.
Learn more at www.L2020.org/Emergency-Preparedness.
