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Alberta.ca Account
Part of Emergency preparedness

Make community connections

Learn how to create resilient communities before an emergency by building strong community connections.

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Emergency preparedness

Overview

A community can take on many forms of social groups – neighbours, coworkers, faith groups, sports teams or people connected by culture or shared interests. When these groups come together, they can form a community support system where they share their knowledge, skills and abilities to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from everyday disruptions to emergencies and even disasters.

We all have a role to play. Disruptions, emergencies and disasters affect individuals, households, workplaces and daily lives. Emergency services are the first call for help, but depending on the severity of the situation, there could be delays reaching your community. This means you and those around you may be responsible for the initial emergency response.

Individuals and households are encouraged to build self-reliance by preparing to meet their needs for a minimum of 72 hours to help achieve better outcomes during and after emergencies.

Everyday opportunities to make connections

Your community members may have historic knowledge or lived experience regarding local hazards. Connecting and sharing information with each other helps everyone take appropriate preparedness actions to reduce risk.

  • Start a conversation

    • Seasonal changes and current events are great chances to connect – share how you prepare, how you could improve and invite others to do the same.
    • Use anniversaries of historic disasters to prompt discussion. Share each other’s experiences, what you learned and how it has influenced your preparedness today.
    • Invite community members on a hazard walk to identify potential threats in the community. Discuss what risks they present to you, your loved ones and community and discuss actions you can take to prevent and reduce risks.

  • Use scheduled events to practice preparedness

    • On Earth Day (April 22), simulate a power or water outage. Involve your household in conservation actions and reflect on how an outage would impact your day-to-day life. Take preparedness actions where you have identified areas of improvement.
    • Use cyber month (October) as a reminder to update passwords, back up data and ensure security software is up-to-date.

  • Take a preparedness step

    • Watch and share a short video on how to build resilient communities.
    • Connect with local organizations that offer supports and services that may help increase your community’s resilience.
    • Seek funding opportunities to support community-led solutions that bring people together around shared challenges – by community, for community.
    • Volunteer for a local activity or service to build your network.
    • Visit 211 Alberta to learn about community supports and services near you.
    • Host an event or create a virtual group so people can get to know one another and build trust.
    • If you take one preparedness step and share it with others, it encourages them to take one step too, which helps spread the behaviour and increase resilience.

Learn who is in your community

Together, we are stronger and more resilient. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses in your community and the role each person plays during an emergency can save lives.

Meeting new people in your community is not always easy, but when you are facing difficulty, those around you are often the first to lend a hand. If affected, these people will share the recovery journey as you rebuild your lives and community together.

Take note of:

  • skills and interests that people have (is anyone first aid-certified, a doctor, amateur radio operator, environment specialist, technical expert, knowledge keeper, psychologist, etc.)
  • resources and assets community members have that could be useful (for example, special equipment, vehicles, generators, edible garden, stored water)
  • who might need extra assistance or who could offer additional help
  • individuals interested in joining a support network or buddy system (someone who checks on and assists others during an emergency by ensuring they are informed and connected to current events, or by delivering supplies if they are unable to leave their property)
  • community organizations and groups that could provide vital supports and services (for example, non-government organizations, humanitarian workforces like community watch, community halls, church groups).

These services can help you build connections within your community or act as a central hub for people to gather and share information during times of uncertainty.

Store this information in a secure and easy-to-access location to support yourself, support others as needed and commit to building community year-round.

Community connections during an emergency

The connections you build and maintain year-round contribute to a strong support system you can rely on for help.

  • Check on others

    • Check on those who may need extra help, make sure they know the current situation and are able to stay informed on changing conditions and/or directions from authorities.
    • If the risk of harm is high, do wellness checks with loved ones, your buddy and community members throughout the day. Especially consider checking in on those who may be at a higher risk like older adults, those who live alone, or those who have unique needs or disabilities.
    • If your pets are left home alone, ask a community member or buddy to check on them or remove them from the home if in danger.

  • Share with each other

    • Create a virtual group to share information, provide updates, conduct wellness checks, ask for support and share preparedness tips.
    • Share resources (for example, flashlight, personal protective equipment).
    • Share skills (for example, first aid, emotional support).

  • If safe to do so and time permits, help others

    • Pack emergency and personal items into a quick grab-and-go bag if an evacuation is ordered.
    • Gather emergency supplies in case a shelter in place advisory is issued.
    • Fill fuel tanks and charge vehicles and electronic devices.
    • Get pets and animals ready for an evacuation or into a safe shelter.

Community connections after an emergency

Connected communities are resilient communities. Research shows that communities who have established strong social connections before an emergency often experience better outcomes following the emergency, including reduced impacts and recovery time.

When a community is impacted by a disaster, every community member is affected in various ways and degrees of severity. Staying connected and supportive during the difficult stages of recovery contributes to a stronger foundation for community resilience moving forward.

  • Check on others

    • Check in regularly with loved ones and those around you. Ongoing support and relationships can make a big difference during long-term recovery.
    • Listen to others and offer support if you can help (for example, help them identify supports and services to aid them in their recovery).

  • Share resources

    • Stay informed together by sharing updates from trusted sources so everyone has accurate information about recovery resources.
    • Visit and encourage others to visit 211 Alberta to locate supports and services if extra help is needed.

  • Reflect on your experience with your household, loved ones, buddy and community members

    • Was there anything you needed but did not have on hand that would have made the situation more comfortable?
    • Was there anything you did that worked or could be improved upon?
    • Are there any preparedness actions you plan to take to be more prepared?
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