Comprehensive preparedness requires the whole community to participate and FEMA places tremendous value on communities that embrace a local "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" approach. This approach empowers community leaders to involve and educate individuals from their community about simple steps one can take to become more prepared. Forty-six percent of individuals expect to rely a great deal on people in their neighborhood for assistance within the first 72 hours after a disaster. When the whole community comes together to respond to and help recover from these emergencies we can often meet the needs of everyone.
Know your neighbors
Knowing your neighbors can give you a critical advantage during an emergency. Good community relationships can help keep your family and neighborhood safe and simplify your family communication plan.
Trust your neighbors
Make arrangements with your neighbors to check on each other's homes and pets when traveling.
Inventory skills
Find out what specialized knowledge, skills, and even equipment your neighbors possess.
Knowing what is available to you in the event of a disaster can make your response more effective.
Meeting place
Establish a meeting place for your neighborhood.
Be educated
Prepared neighborhoods equal a prepared city. There are a number of links at ready.gov that can help your neighborhood be ready for disaster and embrace a neighbors helping neighbors approach to preparedness.
Reach out
If your neighborhood is interested in starting an emergency preparedness plan,
