The scale of natural disasters is intensifying, and they’re happening simultaneously all over the country, impacting more people every day. To ensure that communities can rebuild from natural disasters, they must be able not only to respond quickly but to prepare for a disaster long before it hits.
From wildfires in California to hurricanes in the U.S. Virgin Islands, preparedness looks different for every region given its unique set of needs. However, there are some throughlines that can help communities best prepare for natural disasters while streamlining the recovery process. It’s imperative that individual households take their own measures to prepare for natural disasters; however, especially in disaster-prone regions, community leaders play crucial roles in helping people prepare for and respond to these crises.
Here are three ways that communities can ensure that they’re prepared for disaster before it strikes:
- Knowing the types of disasters that a community is prone to can help inform preparation and response practices, like mapping evacuation routes, stocking homes with necessary supplies, and connecting agencies and nonprofits to plan a coordinated response.
- Pre-stocking homes, warehouses, and community centers with supplies so community organizations are prepared to respond in real time.
- Using hazard mitigation building practices to repair or build new homes.
Preparation helps recovery
Preparation efforts should work in lockstep with recovery efforts, especially as methods to provide relief to communities evolve. Using hazard mitigation practices when rebuilding damaged homes or building new infrastructure can help reduce the loss when disaster strikes. For example, fortified roofs will help homes in hurricane-prone regions stay intact, protecting the interior of the home. Ventilation systems can help protect homes in areas that are prone to wildfires.
Aside from building practices, one of the best ways to both prepare and recover from natural disasters is to connect with your local community foundations. They have their fingers on the pulse of your community’s needs long before disasters strike, and they can point you to other groups that can aid in your response and recovery.
Our nonprofit partners are at the heart of our disaster preparedness, response, and recovery work at The Home Depot Foundation. We work closely with community organizations to ensure that they have what they need year-round to provide immediate support, resources, and relief supplies to communities in need. Disaster preparedness, response, and recovery is an all-hands-on-deck effort. If you’re prepared on a community level, you’ll be prepared on an individual level, too.
